A New Companion - April 30, 2012

Hello Family :)

It is great to hear from you :) This week was pretty good. We found out Bryant's name is actually Brian. But he was baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday :) A great start to the new transfer and for my new companion. His name is Elder Thomas. He is from Kingman, Arizona most recently. He has moved 23 times and his parents are not in the Army. He also has 13 siblings. He is doing an incredible job. He is a good example of hitting the ground running on your mission. Obviously there are things to still be learned but he gets out there and opens his mouth. He is going to be a PHENOMENAL missionary.

So, the first two days of the week I wasn't really in my area. Wednesday was transfer meeting and we didnt get back until 7pm, so we only had 2 hours. Elder Thomas got pretty sick, so we had to stay in on Saturday and the only thing we went to was the baptism. Now he is feeling better though thankfully :) So this week, was really rough with numbers as you can imagine. BUT, a lot of good things happened. We don't have any investigators right now really, but we have a ton of potential people who could be really solid and Elder Thomas loves to work. So we are going at it and we should see many miracles soon :)

Our new Bishop is also VERY VERY missionary work oriented. He is beefing up everything that has to do with the gathering of Israel. So I am really excited for that. As for a family that has a google video account. I dont know of anyone, but I can create my own and I we can just arrange a time to do it? So let me know what time. I'll ask family if I can use there computer and we'll make it happen Cap'n :)

Let's see, what else to write about? Oh, Dad asked me how the Zone Leader life was for a week haha. Well, my trainers were Zone Leaders since you dont remember Dad ;) haha. So I was used to it. It is just a lot of traveling and not doing nearly as much missionary work : / So not very fun. 

ANYWAYS, that freshman girl sounds absolutely INSANE!! (speaking of Alexa)

Well, I guess I will share a little bit of a spiritual thought.So this will be an interesting thought haha. In Jacob 2. Jacob is throwing down on everyone about their whoredoms and pride. Then he says, "But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good, clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted." So it isn't wrong to seek for riches :) But you have to do it for the right reason. haha

I love you all, seek first the kingdom of God. THEN riches for the right purpose :)

Thank you so much for everything and I love you a ton!!!!!! 2 weeks till we shall see each other face to face!!!
LOVE, ELDER WISE

IT'S A BOY! :) - April 23, 2012

Dear Fam :)

 

Well, I heard from Tish that it is a boy :)!!!! And his name is Trison apparently :) Some more crazy names coming from the Parson family :) haha. I like that name though!!

 

NO begging from me this week! HALELUJAH. HeHe.

 

Anyways, we had a training meeting for the trainers last tuesday and it was really good! I am excited to meet my new companion. It will definitely be a huge learning and growing experience :) Well, I have been with the Zone Leaders in a trio all week! It has been a ton of fun but really crazy trying to organize everything!

 

It has been a pretty crazy week! But it has been a week full of miracles! We got a referral from the singles branch in Gainesville a couple weeks ago and we have been trying to contact this man named Bryant. He finally called us back on Tuesday and we set up a appointment. I asked him if we could do anything for him and he said "Yes, I want to get baptized next Saturday, can we set that up?" I was shocked and I asked him how many times he has been to church, etc. He has been attending church since November and has been taught everything. So, he is getting baptized this Saturday! Pretty crazy huh?

 

Some other news, I was on a trade off with our Elders Quorom President this week and he asked me what I wanted to do for a career? I told him I want to be a Physical Therapist. Then he started telling me about PM&R. I am really thinking about it.

 

My Patriarchal Blessing tells me that I need to seek out those who are less fortunate in their lives and that I need to provide service, lift and encourage them. I think that my Patriarchal Blessing is talking both spiritually and temporally. If I am in PM&R I can do that. So I have been thinking about it. Obviously I want to do more research. But it is just a thought. Anyways! I love you and I cant wait to talk to you in 3 weeks :)

 

I love you all a ton!

Elder Wise

TRAINING CALLING - April 16th, 2012

Dear Family,

On Saturday night I was writing in my journal. Then I heard our phone go off and I looked to see who was calling and it said it was President Barry. I then got really scared/nervous because I knew that trainer calls were coming out soon. I answered the phone and President Barry asked me how I am doing and then he said this. "Well, I am calling because I would like to extend a call to you to be a trainer of a new missionary. Will you accept?" I then told him I wouldn't accept. HAHA... jk jk. I accepted the calling. So I will be training a new missionary which means I will be staying in this area for at least 3 more months. I am sort of excited but nervous and not knowing what to expect too. I have a meeting tomorrow where I will hopefully learn more

And I am a moron. I am looking through the pics on the jumpdrive you sent me. I got the package btw and it was amazing :) I deleted all the pictures from Lake City. So if you could send me the ones from my very first area with Elder Failner and Snow and everything that would be great! And for my birthday, I would really love one or two pairs of running shorts. And if I could also get some normal white socks that I could run and workout in. :) That is what I would love! And Fudge Jumbles :) And the recipe for Fudge Jumbles :)

This week has been ruff! We have lost our only investigator and are now just trying our best to find. I really hope that we can find a lot of investigators before my new companion gets here. Although, a lot of finding would be good for him too.

It sounds like everything is busy with y'all which is good :)  

Well, today I was reading in Luke 10. He talks about the good Samaritan. I love that parable. It sort of rebuked me too because I think sometimes I see someone struggling and I say I'm glad that isn't me rather than helping. So it was really good. We have a message that will fix all the problems too.

Well, I gotta run! I love you and thank you so much for helping this pain in the butt out who always asks and asks and asks. This is going to end at somepoint I promise AND I will definitely pay you back when I'm bringing in the BIG BUCKS :) hehe.. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. I get to talk to you in less than a month. Do you want to do google video again? How do you want to do that??

Love,

ELDER LEVI WISE

Tough week, Strong Testimony! - April 9th, 2012

Dear Family,

HOLY MOLLY! It sounds like you all had a great spring break!!

Well, those were absolutely wonderful letters from all of you this week :) Thank you very much! Unfortunately I spent a ton of time reading them and writing to my Mission President so this might not be as long as typical but we will see.

The gun place sounds SWEET!! We should definitely go there when I get back :) How bad does the shock hurt when you get shot? And way to go shooting Mom, Dad :) heha.

Well, this week was not so great as a missionary. Every single person we were teaching except for one told us they dont want to meet with us anymore either because of anti or they claimed they dont have much time. So we are starting at square one again this week and we will see how that goes. President Barry has been putting a lot of stress on talking with everyone and asking for referrals from everyone and he promised us that if we do that we will have many people to teach. So we are going to really focus on that this week and hope we can find those who are ready to receive the gospel.

I am sorry it is so short but I will just bear my testimony. I truly know with all my heart that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the Lord's kingdom on the earth. It truly is the work of God. President Monson is a Prophet of God, he receives divine revelation for the whole world. Jesus Christ leads this church. lds.org has new Bible videos which I have been watching and they are really powerful. Jesus Christ suffered for each of us individually so that we could return to live with our Heavenly Father. I also know how much our Father in Heaven loves us. I can't comprehend nor understand how much he loves us. I catch a glimpse of it from time to time. But he loves us more than anyone can possibly imagine. And just like Mom said, we need to get on our knees and thank him daily. I am so grateful to know the truth with all my heart, to have a chance to serve my mission which has changed my life indescribably. I know that the priesthood is inseparably connected with the powers of heaven. If we have faith, miracles will happen.

I love you all. Thank you so much for your love and all that you do for me. I'm sorry for the short letter! Longer one next week :)

Love,
Elder Wise

GENERAL CONFERENCE WAS FANTASTIC! - April 2nd, 2012

Hello Mom :) and Family :)

General Conference was fantastic. I never enjoyed General Conference before my mission but the last two have been absolutely incredible. My favorite talk this last conference was by Elder Hallstrom, he talked about the difference between the "Gospel" and the "Church". He answered the question "Why could someone who seemed to be so active in the church fall away?" Because they only had a testimony of the church, but not the gospel. I know how important the Gospel of Jesus Christ is, it is the way to return back to our Heavenly Father. It is the ONLY way. We have to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ to live in the Celestial Kingdom with our family.

Although we had a great week this week with General Conference and they many miracles that our happening in the area I am serving in, we had a very depressing thing happen last night. We had an investigator named Melissa who was going to get baptized this Saturday. Unfortunately, Satan got hold of her and now she doesn't want to meet with us anymore and is making some poor decisions. It has been really sad because it seemed like she gained a sure witness that it was true. It was sad.(Satan knows our Achilles heels...RIGHT where to attack us at our weakest points. If we do not stay focused, he uses so many distractions to take us off our path. I know...I have been there!) 

But, on the brighter side. Steven will be getting baptized on April 14th :). And we also met with a girl this week named Jessica who is really prepared and ready to receive the gospel. She accepted a date for April 22nd and we are praying she will gain her own testimony. Vivian also found a family for us to teach this week. She actually has found as a few people to teach already. She is doing incredible, and has a very strong testimony.

One thing I have learned this week is the importance of having faith in the Holy Ghost to bear witness of the truth, and to pray for it. That is the absolute only way they can find out for themselves it is true. I have felt that this had made me a much better missionary. I also am trying to use more stories in teaching. It seems to me that all the Apostles and President Monson use stories constantly throughout their talks, and so does my Mission President. In an email this last week from President Barry he was telling us how he was giving a talk in a Stake President Council or something and he couldn't think of any stories and his teaching had no power. I then realized that stories provide powerful avenues for the Holy Ghost to bear witness.

I know this work is of God and that it will go forth until the second coming of the Messiah. I know the blessing that come from sacrifice. "Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of Heaven" was reiterated many times throughout General Conference this weekend. It is a phrase from the song "Praise to the Man". That is one of my favorite songs and I know that sacrifice does bring forth the blessings of Heaven. As long as we are sacrificing for God. JST Mark 8:37 says "For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it; or whosoever will save his life, shall be willing to lay it down for my sake; and if he is not willing to lay it down for my sake, he shall lose it." We must be willing to lose our life for God, and we will be saved :).

It sounds like you all had a blast at the Timbers game :) It sounded like fun :) I hope everything else is going well and I hope you all have a great upcoming week.

Love,
Elder Wise

p.s. I love I Pads and lds.org, because if you don't know where the scripture is you just type in keywords and the scripture pops up. IT IS AMAZING.. Missionaries NEED THIS TOOL :) Or I just need to memorize the references :)