Just a short one again...

Hey everyone!

Don´t have much to talk about this week, and I´ve got to go soon anyway, but here is the weekly letter for this week!

I´ve been helping out in the office, especially with automating a lot of processes that have to happen here. My work with the Office suite has come in handy, and I´m glad to be able to do the work. Elder Prunty and Elder Foster (My companions) are both awesome, and it´s great to have such good friends. I expect that Elder Foster and I will be friends for many years to come, in particular.

We´ve been working with various families inside the ward to try to help them get stronger, and we´ve seen a lot of success through that work. We have started receiving references (a HUGE help to a missionary, btw) and we are contacting them as they come in.

I am also teaching piano lessons to one of our investigators. What a blessing to be able to teach again! They are waiting on the permission of their Father to be baptized, as he is the only one who is not set on baptism, but we are hoping to meet and play futbol with him later this week on our next P-day. We hope to baptize them next Sunday, if we can get permission.

Health is still up and down, mostly up, and I´m glad to be surrounded by good people who take care of me.

As always, I want to take the largest space in my letter to share something spiritual. I hope that at least one or two of you enjoy it, and I hope that it makes all of you think a little bit more when you read my letters. I hope that God will guide me to say the things that can bless you all the most.

We all pass for difficult times. We are human, separated physically from the presence of God, and part of a giant network of human souls- some of which are bad, but the majority of which I believe are good. Often times in our lives, things unexpected happen- death, destruction, financial hardship, weakness to temptation (meaning sin), pain, separation from family and friends, sickness, and every imaginable opposition that could be thrown at us. During these experiences we are buffeted and tossed like a small ship amongst the waves, and at times we may feel helpless and afraid. This is natural, and even expected- however, we ALWAYS have a glimmer of hope that, if we build upon it, cannot be taken away and secures safe passage. That hope is Christ.

The atonement of Christ was and is an infinite atonement- a sacrifice of such great magnitude as to save EVERY soul that clings to it. There is no obstacle too great to overcome, nor is there any distance too great that He would not cover it in a heartbeat if we would just cry out. Even though many times in our lives we will experience things that may not be a result of our personal actions (directly or indirectly), we have the promise that if we are following the Great Master, even Jesus Christ, WE CAN NOT FAIL.

It is the nature of the times that we live in, and the paths that we hopefully have all chosen (that is, to follow Him) that we will be targeted by the forces of the adversary to be literally dragged away from the presence of God. We are in the last days of this earth, and we know by the mouth of God Himself that this is a time to be tested. That being said, any man who says that this path to perfection is impossible and that therefore we should take our own path, asking God to save us, does not understand his own divine birthright. We have the covenant with God, the creator of all the universe, that if we will but do our part the best that we can He will provide a way for us to return to live and prosper with Him. This is a covenant that was in place before this world was even created- "and though the heavens and the earth will pass away, [His] words shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled." Our God is not a God of Lies.

I testify that this moment is but a small moment. The storm will subside, the waves will calm, and we will witness the fulfillment of the promises of God. "Do your duty: that is best. Leave to God the rest." No tempest can swallow the heart bound to the Master of all things! As always, I share this in His name, Jesus Christ.

-Elder Wheelhouse