Letter #80 from Australia

January 29, 2017

Dear Family & Friends,

What an uplifting week it has been for me! I know that last week, I asked all of you to send some prayers my way as I was going through a tough time in my mission and I just want to thank all of you for doing that for me! I really felt like I was uplifted and that my burdens were made lighter! Not only from all of your prayers but from the Atonement of Christ and all that He did for all of us! My burdens were made light! We had a great week this week and I don't even know where to begin, so let me try! ha But a fair warning that it might be spastic and all over the place! My apologies in advance! 

On Thursday Elder S. Gifford Nielsen of the Seventy visited the mission! We had a west side of the mission zone conference with him and his wife and wow it was so good! They focused so much on repentance and it just made me want to become even better! They are such great speakers and the way that they teach in unity with each other just shows me that they are an eternal companionship! It definitely showed me what I want my future wife and me to be able to do! Teach with my companion in unity! So that is now a future goal of mine! Then on Friday, we as the leaders of the mission had an MLC with Elder Nielsen and his wife! It was so uplifting and spiritual! It was cool to be in a meeting where the main focus was on how we as the leaders of the mission can help the missionaries in the mission be and do the best that they can! I loved every minute of it! Over the weekend we had stake conference and we had an area seventy preside at the conference! It was Elder Daniel G. Hamilton and he was such a powerful speaker! He spoke on all of the experiences that he has had in his life where he has heard and followed the promptings of the spirit! He has had some amazing experience and opportunities in his life! He said one thing though that lit a huge fire underneath me! He said, "When God speaks, I listen because I know the voice of my God." It made me think how that is how i want to be! I want to always be able to listen to the promptings of the Spirit so that I can do whatever He needs me to do, whenever He needs me to do it! I definitely made a big commitment with Father that night! 

The week has been great as far as the work goes with our investigators! Dale is doing so great and came to the conference both Saturday night and Sunday morning! We have almost finished all of the lessons and he is soaking it all up so much! He loves the church and Jesus Christ and has gained such a strong spiritual witness that this gospel is true.  It amazes me! He will be baptized this Saturday and so I will let you all know how it goes next week! We also received another referral this past week and when we visited him, Rolan, he invited us right in and we taught him and invited him to be baptized! He and hopefully his wife and kids will be baptized in 4 weeks! The Lord is blessing us so much and I am so humbled and grateful! I love this gospel, I love my Savior Jesus Christ, I love my Father in Heaven and I love being His hands in His vineyard here in Australia! Have a great week! 

Love,

Elder Wheeler

Celebrating Elder Maumau's birthday at our flat! 

Elder Lawler and me with Elder and Sister Nielsen!