Living Among the Sand People

Dear Everybody,

This week we were coming back from appointments and were in another crammed combi (not quite an everyone touching everyone crammed up against the windows and doors, but there are other times like that). When on the radio comes this song ''Corre Corre Corazón'' (highly recommended if you want to look it up). I was just standing there not thinking, yet thinking about it all at the same time. I saw this lady sitting there with her baby and the love for the people of Perú just flooded into my heart. I hadn't really felt that in a while so I thought about it some more. Something just came to me that I needed to give her some pamphlets. I thought ''that's really weird'' and then immediately followed up with ''you're a gringo in Perú with a white shirt and tie, Elder Wheatley, everything is weird about you''. So as I was getting off the bus I just said these are for you and gave here the pamphlets. It just felt so good to feel that love even though I can't describe it. I think that's what charity really is and I'm not going to let it go.

One other cool thing about this area, apparently it didn't exist 20 years ago so that's cool.

Yesterday I was just really concentrated on what the investigators and ward needs here. My thoughts were so focused and I realized after a little that I have never thought so hard and what the people really need. This ward is so amazing, but there are a lot of less actives. The bishop is helping us a lot and the members want to help too. I feel a real concern for all of them and somehow that just makes me so happy. I know there is a lot of work to do, but I also know there are miracles just waiting for us if we exercise faith. Elder Aubrey is an awesome companion and is helping me so much. We just have a great time together, two gringos who don't know Spanish as well as we want, just doing the work of God. It is so amazing to be a part of this. We joke around a lot in the apartment and have fun walking from place to place too. He's way faster at climbing the sand, but I'm getting there.

We went looking for a new apartment this week and had a great time. The new place is just beautiful and it will be great for the 2 new missionaries that are coming. I love my apartment right now too though and am feeling really blessed. It was fun to spend a little time with Hermana Dorius and get to know her and President a little better.

I read through 2 Nephi 4 this morning and I love that chapter so much. I know that we just need to trust in the Lord and it will all work out. Of course 2 Nephi 2 is just amazing as well and it's so fun thinking about you reading along with me too Mom.

I read a couple of great talks this week. One is by Sheri L. Dew that says ''You Were Born to Lead'' or something like that from a BYU Devotional and it changed my life. I have been praying to understand the language of the Spirit and I fasted to do so as well. Fasting has never meant so much to me and I am so grateful for it.

Another great one was ''The Infinite Power of Hope'' by President Uchtdorf and I highly recommend it. It's so funny how an amazing talk can just go along unnoticed until we really need it. I've needed a lot of help on my mission so I've learned a lot too. A couple of other good scriptures 1 Nephi 20:10 and Doctrine and Covenants 6:36.

Congratulations to Rosie on her mission call, the mission is the greatest decision I have ever made. Keep preparing Hillary and every one else.

Please tell Bishop Barrett and Sister Nibley thank you for their Christmas cards. They meant so much to me.

I love you all so much and am praying for you all. Tell Oma and Opa and the whole Wheatley and Moulton families I love them so much. I'm excited for you all who are going on missions and I love hearing about everyone else just staying strong.

Have the greatest week ever! Talk to you soon!

Love,
Elder Aaron Wheatley

p.s. I HAVE FLEAS!!!!!!!! What a world I live in. Don't worry though, it's not as bad as it sounds.

Welcome to Zapallal 1 Ward

Hey everybody,

My new area of Zapallal 1 is the most ridiculous thing. I am living in the sand dunes and the first day I was here I just felt like I was camping. It is so crazy to be walking up this huge hill of sand and knocking on makeshift doors for a makeshift houses, but I love it. I was thinking the other day about a kind of gross hotel in the US and how I would feel if I had to stay there. I then just broke out into laughter because I realized I am in so much worse pretty much everyday of my mission. It's crazy to me how fast we can become accustomed to something that used to be so foreign. Things don't seem so dirty anymore and I don't even think twice when I am in a house with a dirt floor. I know there are a lot poorer parts of the world, but this is just my experience and I'm so grateful to be here in Perú.

My area is so, so big (at least for what I'm used to) and there are way too many less actives in this area. Elder Aubrey is so awesome though and we made a great plan to help the ward. He's from South Jordan, has the exact same time in the mission, and has been here for his whole mission. We're just having a lot of fun together and teaching all the people we can. I just feel so much happiness as I can be among the people. I love making them laugh and smile and it just keeps getting better.

Real quick before I forget. Please tell Jake Happy Birthday for me. Also, please tell Sister Nibley and Bishop Barrett thank you so much for their letters. It means so much just to know that people are thinking about you. One more thing. Did Johnny see the video from Skype? I've been thinking about him a lot this week and just make sure you tell him and everyone you see that I love them and am so grateful for their influences in my life.

That was so great to hear about Hillary going through the temple. I am so proud of you Hillary! Just make sure you go as many times as you can, I miss the temple so much. I love getting updates on family members, so thank you so much. And thank you for all of the pictures. I'm so happy that the New Zealand letter made it to Nomi, I've been praying for it to get there. Maybe someday I'll be a writer, who knows?

The ward here is so strong and I don't know the people really well, but I can feel a great love from and for them. They are all really willing to help us and that makes it so much easier as a missionary. We had a great Ward Council yesterday and I know as we all work together and trust in the Lord this ward will grow bigger than we could ever imagine. The other cool story about this ward is how beautiful the church building is. It's only a couple of years old and it's so clean. The benches are padded not only on the seat but also the back and the piano can play itself. Yesterday this drunk walked into sacrament meeting and just started making a rucous. He clapped when the first speaker was done and then screamed out that we all needed to be like little children. A member of the stake presidency helped him leave. I had no idea what a drunk acted, or smelt like before the mission but I am pretty well accustomed to it now.

We had some great lessons where I could feel the Spirit. It wasn't like an overwhelming feeling, just a nice presence. I am feeling pretty comfortable with my teaching, but I will make sure to keep learning and growing.

Oh yeah, that reminds me of the story of the week. So last week I was kind of feeling like I was going no where. Things were too easy although I loved it so much. I have never prayed for a trial, but I was pretty close. Instead I decided to pray for the strength to get through whatever trials the Lord knew I needed. When I first got to this area I knew I was going to grow in so many ways. It was all so crazy, but I felt so good as I read the scriptures and I know as we take it one day at a time it will all work out.

Have a great semester Mom, Dad, Brianna, and everyone else. I hope you get feeling better Mom and Dad. That was so great to hear how Nomi is feeling and I'm so grateful to have such a close and loving family.

Keep working hard this week and I'll do the same down here in Perú. How crazy this life is.  I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I hope you can go to Austria too Dad, that would be so awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have the greatest day ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Never forget that I'm praying for you.

Love your best friend,
Elder Aaron Wheatley

Aaron's new area.  If you look close you can see the LDS chapel in the middle of the picture.

I Love It!

Hola Everybody,

 

This week was full of so much craziness and I'm just going to write so bear with me.

 

I just found out that I am being transferred to the ward (or branch, I'm not really sure) Zapallal in the zone Puente Piedra. My new companion is Elder Aubrey and he has the same time as me in the mission so it's going to get pretty real here pretty soon. We'll see how much Spanish I really know and I'm looking forward to it. The mission is just one long adventure made up of a lot of small ones and I am so excited.

 

I am praying that Nomi received my letter, which I  sent. The mail doesn't always make it though so prayer is all I have. If you get it please tell me, if not  tell me too because I might have to write it again. Let's just say I could have been a poet or a novelist with that letter.

 

Also, please thank the Crandall's, Thursby's, Mead's, and the old stake presidency for their Christmas letters. It just means so much to know that people are thinking about me.

 

I'm so excited for Hillary to go through the temple this week. I will be thinking about you Saturday Hillary and know you will feel the Spirit so strong in The House of the Lord. I love the Salt Lake Temple and I'm looking forward to going to the temple with all of you when I get home. Also, if she needs to know more about her mission, Dane Taylor is there right now and I'm sure his parents would love to talk with her if she needs anything.

 

This week we got to go to the airport and had such a good time eating Papa John's. It was so amazing and it was lots of fun to just be in the airport.

 

We went in a mototaxi this week for Elder Brimley's first time. He was really happy so the next day I decided we should do it again. We got in and she really didn't know how to drive. She was just learning and it was a crazy ride. We stalled about 8 times including in the middle of one of the busiest streets in our area. I was just laughing so hard, but Elder Brimley was less impressed with this ride. We started walking to our appointment and talked about the crazy ride. A guy said hi and we just said hi and kept walking. I didn't think anything, but then he called us back. He said he was a member for like 12 years but hadn't gone to church for 11. He gave us his name and address and said he wanted to go to church so we told him we would send the missionaries from his ward to his house to help him get to church. His name is Marco Antonio and it just amazed me how God worked it out perfectly. We stalled the right amount of times and he walked down the perfect street so we could meet and help him come back to church. I know the Lord's hand is in his work more than I can ever imagine and I am so grateful for His help. I can't do it without His help.

 

I worked with Elder Brimley all week and it was amazing. We just talked and had such a great time, but when we were in the lessons we got down to business. He is such a great missionary and I'm so grateful for the time I got to learn from him. We have been teaching a man named Jorge and he is just crazy. He wants to know everything about everything and it's a little hard to get him to focus on the most important thing which is reading the Book of Mormon, but I know Heavenly Father can help him. Silverio Jose is just so ready to be baptized and he already knows everything he needs. I am so grateful Heavenly Father helped us meet in the street to help His son be baptized into th e only true church.

 

Gustavo was baptized yesterday after us knowing him for 2 weeks and having taught him a total of 3 times. We taught him everything he needed, it just went  by so fast. He was already reading the Liahona and the Elder's Quorum manual. It was just another tender mercy of God that he could be baptized right before I leave. I am so grateful for all of the experiences I had in the wonderful ward Faucett.

 

I'm going to miss watching the planes taking off and just having a fun time with Elder Brimley and Elder Aparicio. I have learned so much this transfer and I hope I can just continue to learn and grow. Oh yeah, the fireworks were even crazier on New Years than Christmas and I will never forget the time I spent here in this area as I'm sure there is no way I will ever forget this time I'm given to be a missionary. I am really learning to love my mission and am so grateful for all the experiences I've been given.

 

One more thing. Thank you so much for telling me about the funeral and how perfect it was for Papa. I know Nomi will be taken care of, but it makes me happy to think that you will still be there with her. Thank you Aannaliisa for  staying with her and I'm so excited for your decision to serve a mission. Everyone out  there, just pray about it if you are thinking about going on a mission. I wouldn't trade my experiences for anything, the bad just as much as the good. I love my mission and you will love yours too Aannaliisa and Hillary.

 

I love you all so much and continue to pray for you. Please pray for  all the missionaries, we really can't do this without heavens help.

 

Have the greatest week ever (with school and work hitting full speed again)!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I love you with all of my heart!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Love your son, brother, and friend,

Elder Aaron Wheatley

 

This is a muneca.  They explode them!

Gustavo's Baptism

Peanut Butter is the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hey Everybody,

I love you all so much and want you to know the peace I am feeling right now as I just heard (or read) that Papa passed away this morning. You really don't need to worry about me for one second, but I do ask (even though I know you already do it) to pray for all of us missionaries. We need your help and support. I don't want to talk to much about this because I have a lot of crazy experiences I want you all to enjoy too and I feel like the Spirit is with all of us and we all know Papa is in a better place, where he wants to be. I just know he's already started hugging his loved ones and working up there. He's never going to stop working and I know that's exactly what he wants.

This Christmas was the most different Christmas of my life and I think it was equally crazy for all of you. The night sky was lit up for about 15 minutes at midnight and it was so amazing. The fireworks here, as just about everything else, aren't very well controlled so everyone was just going crazy. I've never seen anything like it and I'll try to send the video home somehow within the next little while so you can all enjoy it.

It was so amazing to be able to Skype you and just see your faces. I'm so grateful I was able to see Papa and tell him that I love him. It was so much fun just to talk with all of you and to see the house. I love getting your pictures to see what things are like, especially when it's probably 90 degrees down here with quite a bit of humidity. I was a little afraid of becoming homesick after seeing you all, but it's had the opposite affect. I am more focused than ever and I love this work. The other cool part about Christmas is that Elder Brimley got really sick so from about 6 in the afternoon and for the rest of the night I was in the apartment as he was throwing up. Definitely not going to forget my first Christmas in the mission field and first Christmas away from my family!

This week something has been happening with my brain. I really hope it means Spanish is just starting to infiltrate my brain because that's what I need. I am feeling so much more comfortable and I know it just takes time so I hope the time is now. The other crazy thing this week is how comfortable I felt here as we were driving. It felt clean somehow and more than anything like a vacation. That's the best way I can describe it. It felt like I was driving through St. George and was just excited to be there. It's somewhere I'm happy to be and it feels like an adventure. It's getting hot and that makes me feel happy and like a vacation too. Maybe I'll have better words to describe it all next week, I'll try my best.

A couple crazy things about Peru. Here everything is fake and illegal, well I guess it's not illegal here. One member family runs a shoe factory where they make fake nike's, adida's, puma's, really what ever you want. The cell phones here are fake, the clothes are fake. Some times I wonder if the plants are bamba (the word here for fake/illegal merchandise). The people are real though and I love them.

I got packages this week from Bekkah and The Aunties and that was so kind of you. The experience was another thing that I won't soon forget as I waited in Serpost (their post office) for 4 hours to pick up the packages. The fee was like 4 dollars, so in the end it was no problem I just have a great story to tell. I almost cried like 20 times, but I held it in somehow. Thank you so much to The Aunties, Mom, Dad, and Brianna for the amazing and very useful presents. I was so grateful to see the Conference Ensign as it still hasn't arrived here in Lima (everything is just so slow). Please tell Bekkah that the package got here on the 8th, but I didn't get it until the 28th. It was all intact and they opened it up in front of me just to make sure that there was nothing inside (you can only send clothes with tags on them, no used clothes). It cost practically nothing so you don't need to worry about that. Thank you so so much for thinking about me.

Now I want to talk about two amazing investigators. That Silverio guy that I was telling you about last week came to our church yesterday. We got to talk with him some more and had a great lesson with him. It's so amazing to me how Heavenly Father prepares his children not only to hear the word, but also to accept it. The other man is named Gustavo and I have never met anyone like him in my entire life. He just keeps telling us that he wants to be baptized and that he wants to be a missionary like us. He is 37 and said that he is just waiting for a girl that he can go and preach the gospel with. He has so much faith and I have never heard anyone pray, or even talk about prayer, the way he does. He is so ready to accept everything. We leave a pamphlet with him and he reads it all and believes it all so when we teach the lesson all we really do is talk about what he read really quick because he already has a testimony. We were walking with him to church yesterday and he was telling the people ''venga a la iglesia, La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias''. He is so amazing and his baptism is scheduled for this Saturday so I'll be writing more about him. Oh yeah, one more thing about him. He said that he has a hunger and thirst in his heart, but it's not for food or water it's for the word of God. He knows the Bible so well.

Oh yeah, my companion was transferred so I'm in a trio with Elder Brimley and Elder Aparicio for this week until transfers next week. I love being with them and I learned how to be even more patient and persistent from Elder Perez. I'm grateful for the time we got to spend together and I will continue to learn from all of my companions.

Thank you so much for all of your love, support, and prayers. I loved reading Alma 7 and Luke 2 this week and I would suggest reading them if you didn't have time. I'm looking forward to reading the Book of Mormon again and I'm grateful that I get to do it with you Mom.

I'm praying for all of you and know the Spirit will be with us as we pray and read our scriptures and do all that is asked of us.

HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love you all so much.

Love your son, brother, cousin, nephew, grandson, and friend forever,

Elder Aaron Wheatley

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      I know this time is crazy for you all back home, especially in the Moulton household, but I hope you have been able to feel the Spirit during this time of year testifying to your hearts that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. I read Luke 2 this week and if you can read it too, I know it will bring a lot of joy to your life.

      I finished the Book of Mormon again this morning. It was my goal to finish it for Christmas as my gift to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I was marking all the times it mentioned Christ and there's a lot of red in the book now. Please tell Brother Taylor and I think Brother Haddock thank you because I think it was their idea to give all us young men a Book of Mormon to mark two years ago now. I'm going to start reading again for the new year and I invite any of you who would like to to join me. My plan is to read 3 pages a day so I can finish in the middle of the year. In time for my birthday and the birthday of our great nation. I would love to do it with you if you want.

      Now onto another week in the life of a missionary. This week was pretty crazy with all of the goings on so I'll do my best. Last Monday it was so amazing to be able to talk to you Mom, Dad, and Brianna. It's really weird hearing your voices but it sure made me happy. That day we also played soccer on a turf field and it was so amazing. It smelt just like home. Those long summer days of practicing and those great Friday nights. That's so weird to think about high school sometimes, but I am so grateful for all of the experiences I have had.

      On Wednesday we had a marriage here in our ward. Elder Perez has been working with their whole family for a couple of months now. They are the Rojas and they used to be inactive. It's a mom and dad and their 6 kids. One of their boys Elder Perez already helped to get married and then his wife was married and this week one of their other sons, Giancarlo, got married to his wife Angela and she was baptized on Saturday. It was special to be a part of all of that and to just see the happiness that they felt. I thought how crazy it was to be thinking about marriage and how it just feels like something that will always happen in the future, kind of like how I  always felt about a mission. Life is pretty tricky sometimes.

      We had a Christmas party in the offices this week with 3 of the 12 zones in our mission. It was really fun to just be with all of those other missionaries. Sister Dorius had been cooking for all of us and it was so great to eat that turkey. She also baked carrot cake and even though I've never liked it too much, it was just so good to think about home. President and Sister Dorius gave us some gifts including a satchel with a llama on it and I forgot to take a picture, but it's about the coolest bag that could ever exist on the face of the planet. We had to do sketches, I think that's English too, but if not plays, as a district and ours was the highlight of the show. We did it again during our ward Christmas party and yesterday in church everyone was just talking about it.

      Yesterday I went on exchanges with Elder Brimley. He is from Arizona and this is his first transfer. He lives in the same house as me.  We just went out and worked and it was amazing. It's really true that quote that says the great secret to missionary work is work. That's my one piece of advice to everyone as a missionary, but I also think we can apply it to our lives as Papa did. When we work hard for what's right and do the will of our Heavenly Father we will be happy. When I work I don't think about anything else, I'm just happy with the time I have been given. I'm so grateful for that lesson I learned and that I could work with Elder Brimley and just have a fun time, two gringos who don't speak Spanish well just loving the people, spreading the message of the restored gospel, and wishing everyone a Feliz Navidad.

      I had another experience with Elder Brimley that I want to tell real quick. We were walking along and I stopped because we passed by the house of a contact. I didn't know if we should try to have a lesson so I just stopped and waited. Out of no where this man comes up and asks us how he can find the ward that he belongs too. His name is Silverio and he went on to explain that he was in Iraq for 5 years because he was in the military and he had been receiving the lessons there, still not really sure how that works out. He said he wanted to talk to the missionaries so he could be baptized and he knew he needed to go to a certain ward that he belonged to. We told him how to find it out and it was just amazing that we were there at that moment. I didn't feel the Spirit telling me really strongly anything, but I know it was directed by God and I'm so grateful for that.

      I'm wishing you all the merriest of Christmas's from here in Peru. I know it's a crazy Christmas for us all but my prayers are in your behalf and I hope you can feel the love of our Lord and Savior and the love of our Heavenly Father who sent His Son for all of us.

I love you all so much.

Love forever,

Elder Aaron Micah Wheatley

Another Week Goes On By

Hey Everybody,

     This week just happened. It's so crazy sometimes. I like to say that my life doesn't go fast or slow it just happens and that was definitely this week. I have learned so much on my mission, but more than anything I have developed more patience and humility. I read a quote two days ago by President Hinckley that says during these 2 years a person can grow more than in any other 2 years of their life. I know I'm not here only to change myself, but I am so grateful for the changes that are happening in my life as I help others come unto Christ.

     It was so amazing to receive a package from Oma and Opa this week. I bawled real hard. I was just so overwhelmed and so grateful for all of our family. I love you all so much and can't say it enough. Oma, the cookies were one of the greatest presents I have ever received and I look forward to a lot more when I get home. I just want to bake and bake. It's so funny to me all the things I want to do now that I can't do them, but I'll get into that more later.

      I got the letters you sent Mom and once again bawled like a baby. All of your support means so much to me. I also got a letter from Uncle Tyler that meant so much and one from Elder Seth Cannon. Please pray for him and for all of my brothers and sisters out on their missions. Most of you know what it's like to be out here and for those of you who don't, I hope you can experience it because the mission is amazing. All the great stories from aunts and uncles made me laugh and just filled my heart. I know this isn't an easy time for any of us, but I am so grateful that you would all take a little time to make my day, week, and mission a little better. I love you all so much and hope you can receive strength from my letters.

     A couple cool stories now. We went to the clinic this week for my companion and how great it was to be ack among civilization. It was part of the Central Mission and it was like I was back in the grand ol' USA again. I ate some Burger King as I waited and just enjoyed a little more space with a lot more cleanliness. I know I'm supposed to be here in the Peru Lima West Mission and I love thinking about the day I opened my call, but it's still nice to be a little more clean every once in a while. (I know there are a lot dirtier places in my mission so we'll see what my thoughts are when the time comes for me to go there!)

     My door got knocked by some Jehovah's Witnesses this week and that was hilarious. My nametag was clearly visible and everything so there's no doubt the poor lady knew what was happening. Well I think she did because she just said something like ''How many books are in the Bible?'' and I said I didn't know and then she just kept looking stunned and asked again. I told her it wasn't my house and that I would take her magazine to give to the people who lived there. I felt really bad for her because I know exactly what she was feeling, but afterward I couldn't help but laugh. If they come knocking on your door I hope you are nice to them and then afterward you can think of me and all the missionaries out there working hard to spread the message of Jesus Christ.

     We did splits this week and it was an amazing experience. I met this man named Jose.  I have never talked to a recent convert like him before. He admitted that he didn't know everything but his faith is so strong and he just wants to share it with everyone. He is so happy.  He could pronounce as well as remember my name perfectly after seeing my nametag only once, which is a miracle in itself.  For some reason as we were talking he said something about the Ingles family and I just nodded my head and smiled as I sometimes do (thankfully less and less as the weeks go on). My companion for the day, Elder Galicia, asked who they were and then he said something about Michael Landon and I was just like WHAT?????? He then explained there is this TV show where a family lives in the olden times in a small town and luckily this time I didn't bawl as I thought about my dear beloved ''Little House on the Prairie''. This is where the longing for things that didn't have too much importance before I came out on my mission comes back into play. I have been reminded of TV shows or songs that haven't come to my mind in years and now I'm making a mental list about a mile long of things I'm going to do when I get home. Okay, that's an exaggeration, but all you returned missionaries or current missionaries I hope can relate.

     The other amazing thing was we were talking to this old couple and a little boy was there with them. At the end of the lesson the little boy just said he wanted to be baptized without us asking or really having even talked to him very much during the lesson. It's so amazing to me the example of little children. They are so special to our Heavenly Father.

     Yesterday was the Primary program and I just thought about all the great times I had participating and eating the goodies back in the Edgemont 3rd Ward. I grew up so fast and I'm sure you are all feeling the same. I'm so grateful to be on a mission though.

     I'm excited for Christmas and I hope you all have the greatest Christmas ever. I know it's a little different in the Moulton household right now, but what a great gift is the time we've all been given together as a family.   Please tell Papa and Nomi, Oma and Opa, and everyone else that I love them so much.

Love you this much ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (that should be about my wingspan)

Elder Aaron Wheatley

It's Happening

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

 

I'm really starting to get into the groove of things. I still have some time to go, but I'm on my way and that makes me feel so good. This work is so different from anything I have ever done and I love it so much. I'm so grateful for all of the encouragement you send me it makes me so happy. About the packages, it seems like all the boxes have been coming through just fine for my mission, just make sure you send them through the United States Postal Service. It's still so weird to me that we are in December and that Christmas is around the bend. The weather here is reasonably hot and very humid. Last night it got a little cold and I was starting to feel the Christmas spirit. I would guess it's in the 80's everyday and the nights in my apartment it's pretty hot too. Like I said we're in the first floor of a four story building and the air kind of just lingers. There is no carpet anywhere which is a cultural experience. I'm grateful we have cement though, because some people just have dirt floors. This is definitely a different world I live in.

 

This week I finally made it to the Peru MTC. All of us gringos were rounded up and we went to the MTC to do our immigration stuff all together. It was great to talk some more English, I don't know why I just love it so much. Spanish is coming along great, but it's just nice to speak English every once in a while and just talk about all sorts of things. We were just driving and then I looked out of the window and there was the Temple. It was really cool to finally see the Temple and MTC. All of us missionaries just talked about all of the experiences we have had up until now and it was so fun to hear about all of the other experiences. The thing I learned was just what Dad said when we talked. Even when things were hard, when we look back they were just awesome experiences and we can smile and laugh. I have learned so much from my mission and the hard times are some of the greatest memories I have.

 

I had a great time this week when we went to the members house in another area and we sang some hymns. I love the people here, but I can just say that the confidence I have in my own voice has gone up exponentially since I've arrived in Peru. I love the hymns and more than anything the Christmas songs we can all enjoy together.

 

I spent a lot of time reflecting yesterday and it felt really good. I just love settling things down every once in a while and thinking about all the amazing things that have happened in my life. I really have been blessed with such happiness from our loving Heavenly Father. I have had such great experiences and I know so much happiness is awaiting me and all of us. I am learning so many things on my mission that I know will bless me for the rest of my life. It's so crazy all that has happened in such a short time, but I have learned to be so much more humble and I'm working hard on being charitable. There are little things that I'm learning too just to help things go more smoothly in life.

 

I read a talk entitlted ''The Fourth Missionary'' by Lawrence Corbridge and I would suggest it to any future missionaries and really anyone. I know if I would have read it before my mission I would have enjoyed it, but I wouldn't have understood it fully. I'm sure I'll understand it even more as the time goes on too. Experiences change everything in our lives and I'm so grateful for this time I'm given to experience being a missionary. I am trying my best to submit my will to that of our Heavenly Father because I know that is the only way to true and lasting happiness.

 

This week my testimony of the Book of Mormon has been strengthened so much. When I read it I feel the power so much. There is no way that a man could have written it. We all need to receive a testimony through the Spirit first, but after that comes we are strengthened so much just by knowing that no man could write such an amazing book. It's too crazy for anyone to come up with and it's not even really appealing at first. It just doesn't make sense, but then you read it and fall in love. I am so lucky to be able to testify of the Book of Mormon so often and it amazes me too how much we are strengthened when we share our testimony with other people. I am strengthened so much as I share my testimony and I can feel the Spirit testifying to me that my words are true as I testify to the children of our Heavenly Father.

 

We spend a lot of the day teaching lessons. We are really blessed with a great area where the members help us a lot. Of course we get to ''find'' people too and I really just love talking to the people. My Spanish is coming along and I feel comfortable talking to just about anyone. The culture is so different that I don't really know where to start. Things are so different, but at the same time I can always feel that we are so similar because we are all children of our Heavenly Father.

 

I love getting your long emails, I just don't want you to be spending so much time like you used to if it stresses you out or anything. I want you all to be happy and to know that I am happy. Of course everyday isn't amazing, but I can view miracles everyday and feel the Spirit as I do the Lord's work. The weeks pass by so quickly. I am praying for you all and especially for Papa everyday. He amazes me too!!!! I love hearing all of the news and seeing all of the pictures. I was thinking about the pioneers and those first missionaries who went out and left it all behind. I receive strength everyday from those who have gone before, especially you Mom, Dad, and Mariah (well really all of you). I am so grateful for your examples and your love.

 

Have the greatest week ever! I really feel all of your prayers and hope you can feel mine too. I love you all more than I can say. I'll be writing and calling before either of us knows it. Please send my love to Nomi and Papa and all of the family.

 

Love your son, brother, and best friend,

Elder Aaron Wheatley

 

 

Aunt Julie's two nephews serving in Lima Peru!