September 29, 2014

Dearest All

All is well, all is well...First and for most, I am happy and grateful to have again made contact with Che, thanks to our wonderful members of the Parkersburg Ward, that invited and welcomed Che to women's conference and to Sacrament meeting the next day. Where she talked with us, at first she was very brief with us, but by the end of the block she had agreed to a dinner appointment in a member's home...later when we arrived at the members home, Che was no where to be found, rather we soon learned that she was in the E.R. because she had been stepped on by a horse and had broken her collar bone! Incredible story, she had to walk across 25 acres to her car, then drive from Mineral Wells to Downtown Parkersburg and admitted herself, to which she said "I was doing a lot of praying"...We went to her home after she was released from the hospital and brought her dinner and the member who came with gave her a priesthood blessing. This was the moment when i really saw the scope of her strength and the trials she has faced and how well she has endured them, She has even successfully lived without electricity for 5 months, as i walked into her home holding a flashlight to see down the clean but dark halls and guestrooms with no guests or any company in sight, she does this day in and day out alone in the quiet...she is humble but incredibly independent and strong, even refusing help or assistance determined not to be a burden. However i think this last trial of her faith has lead her to a open heart and reception to assistance....Hold on I literally just got off the phone with Che, who told me that she has felt so loved and cared for especially since sister sheets (relief society president) just called her to check up on her and bore her testimony of the spirit she felt during women's conference...heavenly father brings us low sometimes...so then he can lift us higher. 

During Sacrament Meeting this last week as I sat next to three of our investigators, I felt prompted to read D&C 4 and as the sacrament was passed I really felt a personally humbling lesson as the spirit taught me, "REMEMBER; faith, hope, charity and love...with an eye single (only focused on) to the GLORY of GOD" that really reminded me that this work is not mine and NONE of the glory for the success we have been blessed to participate in belongs to me...none of it...surely a gentle but nevertheless direct correction and instruction from Heavenly Father, as we set out to continue to and maintain and strengthen the success that has come forth here in Parkersburg. 

How exciting it is to have set a goal in our weekly plans for one Baptism, it is Baptism Week! for Cody Collins and it will be the first baptism for both Elder Myers and I, we have arranged for a member of the ward to perform the ordinance for Cody, Cody is excited and ready! The invitations are out and the ward is all-hands on deck, This week will surely prove to be a exciting and joyful conference weekend, Cody will be baptized at 2:30 between General Conference sessions. 

Vicki also attended women's conference and this week marks her 10th week at Church, now working on baptism on December 1st, she really has nothing major holding her back, only her own personal preparation, she recognized the covenant and desires for that covenant...she will be and is a truly a faithful member of the church and we are even contemplating working with our new bishop brick on arranging a calling for Vicki. 

This week was a bit of a struggle for finding, or perhaps we only finding more elect individuals, to reload, especially as Cody will be baptized by the end of the week and we move to re-load our teaching pool and progressing investigators we do have a number of promising referrals upcoming this week are hoping with faith to be able to continue to find, despite our weekend being occupied with general conference and Cody's baptism, and Elder Myers is falling ill to whatever bug I had a week ago and seems to be going around town. so we will be pushing and using every moment of valuable time we will get this week to find, find, find! 

A personal note, to everyone who reads this...that we are a questioning people, we invite people to questioning, question the gospel, we do not fear questioning...for we know that it is by sincere questioning, not proving but seeking, with a desire to know what is true that truth is found...and truth is known...faith is not having a perfect understanding but trust that the Heavenly Father will guide us to what we need to know and what will make us most happy.

Know that sometimes the lord brings us low (usually to rid us of our earthly desires, understanding or things that we rely on) so that he can bring us higher (and we can learn to rely on him). 

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

I love you all and this is my testimony that I know that the gospel which I have been called to preach by a living prophet of God is true and is a plan a happiness that it is higher than my ways or the ways of any man, but as I have turned my ways to his ways I have become happier and I believe will lead me to my greatest happiness. So I invite you all to exercise faith and ask daily, strengthen your testimony daily, get out of your comfort zone, act on a prompting, do something hard, do something which you do know know what the exact outcome will be...do something that will require you to trust in the lord. and just watch what god has in store for you....and remember that God gives no commandments to us unless he will provide a way for us each individually to accomplish those things which he asks and commands of us. Trust him and he will make you something so much more, beyond our own comprehension.

Love from West Virginia

Elder Wheeler

-ART

Elder Myers and I at the Smoot Theater (google earth it), we got a personal tour and helped set up for their choir practice, plus some members are in choir and made some great connections the part of me that loves the 1920's was in absolute heaven. 

 In the dressing rooms under the stage

 two stories below the street in the boiler room...total real life tower of terror feel so cool! 

 ​A Bit of West Virginia for all of ya'll...the photos do not do how beautiful it is out in the "mountains" here right now the colors are nothing short of spectacular

 ​I had to share this....yes this is news here! it is grand...I truly do love West Virginia.

What day is it....HUMP DAAAAY! Happy Hump day Elder Myers

 Cody & Vicki at Buffalo Wild Wings with us Celebrating Elder Myers Hump Day (September 25th) He is Halfway through his mission...BWW!!!!

 At Volcano days at Mountwood park, on the very outskirts of our area, the Autumn leaves are the beautiful out here in the hollars. Volcano was an oil town in 1885 at one point was the one of the largest cities in West Viginia at the time of 2,800 people or so and in 1906 the entire town burned to the ground and there is only one foundation of the town left....it was way cool and a very "west Virginian event"