October 13, 2014

Dearest All

Bad news first This week was a hard week for finding, we only found one new investigator, I think as the weather turns for the cold and the rain came down 5 days this week, our usual means of finding (simply talking to everyone) was not as effective, simply because there we not as many people outside. So we have had to adjust our usual finding methods, worked up to the very last second, but fell short of our goal by one ITL, One member-present lesson, and two new investigators...I really feel that there were opportunities both were I didn't say enough and opportunities that I had to invite but we passed them up, my prayerful resolve this week is to study harder and more meaningfully this week, I really want to find treasures in the scriptures that I will want and be excited to share more than usual, I hope and feel that this will help our finding and bring a close to our incredible transfer and get this area ready to carry-on into the winter months.

Okay How about some Fantastic News now! Vicki, came forward after conference and set a new date for her Baptism October 18th! We have seen Vicki everyday this week, she is ready now and she sees it to...on Monday she by her own desire gave up Coffee, not even a single headache and by Wednesday handed us her coffee can to dispose of! Just goes to show that Heavenly Father truly does strengthen us and can change our desires as we are willing and have a desire to change!

(Here is a little fun insight for you, so after we dumped out the coffee in the trash we both signed the can and Put it in "The Place of Records" - under the stairs in our apartment, which is really neat because a decade of missionaries have come and left their name and short account of their time in Parkersburg on the wood framing)

Vicki has now attended church for 12 weeks has been investigating for just over three months, quit smoking 2.5 months ago, I was reading in Preach my gospel this week about baptism and Confirmation and the line "making and keeping commitments will help and prepare investigators for their baptismal interview, baptism and membership in the church" I have no doubt that Vicki will be a strong active, participating, contributing member of the church. I am so beyond happy and it has been a grand week!
Vicki's Baptism will be small, the member families that have been on the front line with her, (the Haroldsen's, the Sheets and the Nelsons) along with Brother and Sister pool, (who have been friends two decades strong with Vicki's sister and her husband, who will also be attending and Brother pool will be Performing the baptism) I look forward to this weekend with great anticipation and great gratitude! What I hope will be one of the top spiritual highlights of my mission.

Cody was also confirmed this week and completely un-provoked by us, he went strait up during testimony meeting and bore a beautiful, testimony which brought Vicki and myself to tears...He has been looking and longing for this church and love for so long, coming from being an orphan at age 4...heavenly Father has reached his hand out to him, and Cody Grasped his hand and is clinging to it, not letting go....God surely does live!

Well I have my sweater (love sweaters by the way) and the leaves continue to fall and winter is just over the Horizon...here we go WVCM lets do it!

next week will mark my first 6 months of my mission an entire quarter of my time I get to serve, fast at times, slow at others but for the most part feels just right, I have had a few whispers in my ear from (little birds) that I will be getting transferred to a new area, and With Vicki's Baptism coming up this weekend and all the adventures in-between here in Parkersburg I feel complete in Parkersburg...Never the less I am excited to go and do, whatever and where-ever the lord will have me go. I am exited to go see another part of the mission!

(FYI the next Transfer is on Thursday next week so P-Day will be on Wednesday next week)

Love 
Elder Wheeler

 Elder Pinie, (he is on the Southside of Parkersburg, so we work with him alot and share downtown with them) who is the last visa waiter in the mission he is going to Brasil next week, he is seriously one of my favorite missionaries I am jealous Brasil gets to take him for the rest of his mission, (he has been here in the WVCM for one full year)

 Me holding Vicki's Coffee can (Victory!)

 Elder Pinie and with our Matching ties, we had been looking at those ties for over two months  and they went on sale for half off at JCPenny so we both excitedly made the purchase!