Letter #34 from Australia

March 14, 2016

Dear Family and Friends,

          This week has been great, but also challenging and hard. The Lord has given me some trials that I currently have to go through, but I am so grateful for them. I love trials because it is Heavenly Father way of helping me to change and be molded into the man that he wants and needs me to be. That’s a weird way of looking at trials I know, but that is the whole reason why we have trials and challenges in our life. Heavenly Father needs us to change and become better. Although trials and challenges are hard to go through, I know that they are given to us out of pure love from our Father in Heaven.

          The work here in Yarra Valley is going great, but we have had a lot of set backs this week within the work. So our investigator Jeremy didn't make it to church on Sunday and we haven't been able to get a hold of him for about a week! We had to drop his baptismal date because he is two weeks away from it and he hasn't come to church yet. We are really hoping and praying that he will get back to us in the next day or two so that we can continue to help him progress in the gospel. He has a great desire to follow Jesus Christ and to be baptized into the church, so we are really hoping that his desire to do both is still burning. We have followed up with a couple of new contacts that we got a couple of weeks ago, and sadly to say, it didn't work out with them. We met with a couple that seemed really interested in learning about the gospel. They even said they had a friend who was interested and that she was going to come to the first lesson too! We were really excited for it, but when we got into their home and sat down, we realized that we had just walked into a Bible Bashing lesson.

          For two hours we were asked question after question and when we answered, they brought out Bible verses and anti-Mormon materials to "prove us wrong." Ultimately, it ended with us bearing our testimonies of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith and with me politely rebuking them. All I said was that we, as missionaries, have been called to invite others to read the Book of Mormon, pray about it, and ask Heavenly Father if it is true. We have invited you to do this, and now it is up to you. If you want to find out if it is true follow our invitation. But if you don't want to, then that is okay. But we have done our part as missionaries. After I said that, there was silence in the land for the space of many minutes. Hah. We thanked them for letting us come over and then left. It was good, but not the kind of good that we wanted it to be!!

          A part-member family moved into our area and ward this past week! The Mum and her 3 oldest girls are all not members and are very interested in learning more about the gospel and being baptized. So we are really excited and grateful for that blessing in our lives right now.

          I want to bear my testimony again about the Plan of Salvation. Last Sunday, I lost a woman who was very dear to me and who I love so much! On Sunday night my dear Great Grandma Merle Mills passed away. She was really old and so it was more of a blessing than a trial to my family and me. She was a beautiful woman who had such a profound impact on my and my life. She helped me to grow stronger both in life and in the gospel. She had such great advice and council to give to me whenever I needed some uplifting and encouraging. All of my many memories with her will forever be in my mind and she will always be in my heart. I know that she is in a better place right now and that she has been reunited with her Husband Paul, who I am named after, and her son Boyd. I also know that one day, I will be reunited with her again and know that she will give me a big kiss on my cheek and will embrace me warmly. I know that my Great Grandma lives on and that she is still one of my guardian angels, but now just in spirit form. I love you Grandma Mills.

          I am sorry that this update is so long. I just had a lot to talk about and say this week! I love you all and am grateful for the love and support that you show my family and me! Have a great week and stay safe!

Love,

Elder Wheeler

​Going for the green!! Such a fun day!

Went golfing yesterday for P-Day! ​It was a lot of fun and for only playing twice
within my 8 months on my mission, I played really well! Had the longest drive and
the only birdie of the day out of Brother Bryers, Elder Zimmerman and me!!

Elder Richard Long has finished his mission. Everyone go to his homecoming 
and hear his sweet as 'Stralian accent! Also ask him about me;) Jk! But seriously
 go to his homecoming! I love him so much and he is my brother!!