Serving the Lord in the Land Down Under: Letter 6 from Australia

Sorry everyone. I thought I posted this prior to my leaving town the other day. Enjoy the fun letter and pictures.

August 30, 2015

Dear Family and Friends,

This was the best week so far on my mission!! I love it so much because we had a...BAPTISM!!!! YAHOO. But before I go into more details about that, I will just start at the beginning of the week.

Not a lot happened this week other than tracting because Elder Kelsch and I have had to drop some of our previous investigators so we don't really have that many people to teach. We currently have about 9 investigators right now but we want more!!! We had a lot of new contacts (people you meet that could be a potential investigator) but this week we visited them all and they all told us that they were not interested. So we now have no new contacts now but we have done heaps (Aussie slang word. American translation: lots, tons) of tracting and finding this week. My feet hurt so badly and they feel like they are going to fall off...and we need to do more this week. But all goods. I love tracting and finding cause you meet very interesting people. Which leads into, STORY TIME! Alright folks...I will give you all a little break to go to the bathroom, get some popcorn and to buckle your seat belt cause this one is so funny and is definitely a good one!!

All right, Saturday after the baptism, Elder Kelsch and I went tracting (door knocking) for 4 hours!! It was a very long and tiring time but all goods. PAUSE: When Elder Kelsch was in 2nd grade he had the biggest crush on a girl named Bailey. PLAY: So we knock on a door and a young girl (about the age of Elder Kelsch) answers and starts talking to us. Elder Kelsch is doing great and is talking about the church and what we believe in, you know the typical door step approach, when he pauses and says, "I'm sorry, I didn't get your name. What is it?" And that is when she drops the "B" name...(you probably have figured out by now why that minor detail was added above.) Her name is Bailey!! Haha. Just then Elder Kelsch has a freeze up moment and then quickly snaps back in to it. We finish talking to her and say bye. As we were walking away he just keeps saying how bad it went and is freaking out about it. But it went really well and I actually have a good feeling about her! She seems like a keen (Aussie slang word. American translation: Cool, really interested) new contact. I had a good laugh about it all and I hope you all did too. If not then I guess you just had to be there;)

Now on to Steve's baptism. It was such an amazing experience and such a great service. Steve kept smiling the entire time and was so excited to be baptized. Elder Kelsch baptized him and it went so well. Steve asked me if I would speak at it and I of course told him that I would. He said he felt so clean and definitely felt a difference after being baptized. Elder Kelsch and I are so proud of him and for his amazing decision to make that sacred commitment to his Father in Heaven. I can't believe that I had my first baptism this soon into my mission. Although Steve was taught a little by the previous missionaries before me, I consider him my first baptism.

I cannot describe the feeling of happiness that I feel after helping someone join this church. It truly is an amazing feeling and I love that feeling so much. I can't wait until I meet and teach other people and help them come back into the fold of our Savior Jesus Christ. I love being a missionary and love the good and the bad times. Yes, even the bad times. Because that is when I know I am growing the most. That is when the master sculpture (My Heavenly Father) is sculpting

me into the best missionary, man, future husband and future father that I can be.

I appreciate all the constant support that you all give me and for being the best support team out there!! Remember to read your scriptures and say your prayers everyday!! I love you all so much!

Love,

Elder Wheeler