TEACH with the HOLY GHOST! - May 28, 2012

Dear Family,

 

I did get my bike fixed. It cost me just under 50 everything together. It cost me about 35 I think to get the peddle fixed (the screws were stripped so they had to replace a couple things :(  ) and I also had to get chain lube which cost me 15. That bike has been really good for me though. It's the first break down and I have been riding that thing everywhere for nearly 10 months. (With some car in between.)

 

For your information, next week, preperation day will be on Tuesday. Because of transfer meeting on Wednesday, President Barry thought it would be wiser to make pday on tuesday so Elders can pack the day before.

 

Training is getting easier. We are still trying to find new people right now, we are still struggling in that aspect. But, we are getting a lot of work done with recent converts and less actives which has been good.

 

It seems like the school year is just starting to slow down and come to an end :) YAY! haha. I bet you all are excited for the summer vacation. I'm not! It is going to get HOT! But hey, this is the last summer I have to survive so hopefully I'll make it!

 

Sounds like the track team did well :) That is great! That is very impressive that Alexa didn't make any excuses at the end. She just accepted the race and she knew she tried her hardest.  

 

 I learned a lot this week that was very valuable. I finally realized how important the Holy Ghost is in everything we do as missionaries. If we are teaching about the church without the spirit, they just recieve information and they feel nothing with it. I need to start teaching from my heart and with a conviction and help them understand why this is so important. It really was an incredible week. Now we just gotta go out and get it done.

 

"And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." Moroni 10:5. That just shows how important it is. Elder Thomas always tells me how we need to promise blessing so investigators will want this. And I agree that promising blessings are important because that gives us a little bit of a desire to want the gospel. But...the only thing that will make us truly DESIRE for the gospel is by feeling the love of God by the power of the Holy Ghost. I know that he does love everyone a TON. I just need to learn to bring the spirit powerfully wherever I go so that they can feel the love of God and desire to know more about the gospel. I have been taking a tactical approach and have been trying to show people that the gospel needed to be restored by proving it to them. That is WRONG! I can't wait to see the changes in my teaching once I truly learn how to bring the spirit and testify to people. But in order for me to be feeling the spirit I have to be focused on the gospel and on my Savior. "Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man." Doctrine and Covenants 84:85. I need to continually treasure up the words of life so I can feel like Lehi did when he partook of the fruit of the tree of life (see 1 Nephi 8:12). I know this gospel is true :) AND I LOVE THE SPIRIT :)

 

Anyways, so I guess you heard about the tropical storm since you weren't sure if I would be able to email you. So far, all we have got in Gainesville is a little bit of rain but I heard it is pretty intense in Jacksonville. So we'll see if it gets bad tonight. But we are good. Apparently there has been a hurricane to hit Florida in a long time. It has been the longest time since a hurricane has hit in a long time. So we have heard that people are expecting us to get hit at least once if not twice this year. So it will be exciting haha. Hopefully, if we do get hit, it wont be too scary.

 

 But, everything is going pretty well. I am just doing that missionary thing. :), I hope you all are having a great week :) I love ya'll! :)

 

Until next Tuesday,

Love

Elder Wise

BUSY WEEK - May 21, 2012

HELLO :)

Sounds like track is doing great and keeping everyone busy :) that is good! Well, this week was crazy for me as well. As I told you when I called last week, my peddle fell off my bike. It still isn't fixed and I have to take it to the bike shop today :( GAH! I save up for this razor and then my bike breaks haha.. oh well :P 

I went on a trade off with my District Leader who is Elder Lundquist on Tuesday which was fun. Then on Wednesday we made a trip to Jacksonville for Leadership training. It was incredible. They presented a new thing we cal "Harvesting". Basically, we try to contact people like we normally do and if they tell us they are not interested we ask them if we can just come in and leave a blessing from Jesus Christ on their home. It's the south so they typically say yes. We then gather information on what their needs and concerns are. We then address Heavenly Father, and in the name of Jesus Christ and by the authority of the holy priesthood we leave a blessing upon (the families name) home! It brings the spirit POWERFULLY! We ask them how they are feeling and then testify that that is the Holy Ghost and ask if we can come back another time to share a message that will help them have this feeling in their home all of the time. And it really is used to soften peoples hearts and it REALLY WORKS. I have heard numerous miracles already from it.

Wednesday night I went and worked in an area called Fleming Island. It was really neat. I learned how to make contacting more natural and enjoyable :). I stayed the night there and had leadership training the next morning which was incredible as well. Then that night we went home. Right now, we are still working with a few people but none of them are really progressing anymore :( So now we have to find some more people who will hopefully be willing to act upon this glorious message :)

 

So that was my week. Stockman! Good Job buddy :) Just hit those weights :) That is something I wish I would have done. I am finally now doing a lot of strength exercise so hopefully it will pay off :) Once you get that strength and endurance you will be unstoppable :) With your beautiful shot and your game intelligence. Look out, we got the next John Stockton in the house!!!

I got a letter from Adam this week :) He is doing fantastic! He has his first english companion.. haha.

I am really sorry, I really don't know what else to write right now. There isn't too much that happened this week other than leadership training. OH, actually our President sends us an email every week and he told us this week that if we utilize the new Harvesting technique we will double the number of people we find and double our baptisms :) So I am really excited to use it more!

I hope you all continue to do well! I love you all and I miss ya a ton. The Lord's work is moving forward :)

Love,

Elder Wise

POST-MOTHER'S DAY TALK - May 14, 2012

Hello Everyone, :)

 

It was so great to talk to you yesterday. It was so hard saying bye. I didn't want to.

Stockton, I can't get over the fact of how tall you are!! WHAT HAPPENED? Did you get surgery where they stretched you out or something? HOLY COW!

 

And Micah, how was being a drum major? I never got to ask you that.

 

TnT-You better move you Utah with me ;) haha

 

Anyways, it was wonderful to see you all! Sorry its not very long, but we talked yesterday :) haha

 

Love ya,

Elder Wise

This letter was sent the day after we talked and "skyped" with Elder Wise on Mother's Day. That is always the best Mother's Day gift ever! AMAZING! Elder Wise looks so wonderful! He was really shocked at how tall Stockton is. We put the camera up and had Stockton stand next to me (mom)...he was blown away! He also couldn't believe how deep his voice was! It was so wonderful to hear/see Levi and how good he is doing and the growth he is experiencing and the love he has for the people in Gainesville. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELDER WISE! - May 7, 2012

HELLO FAMILY,

 

I have one question... is it even possible for a freshman female to run a 4:23 1500??? ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!! THAT IS INSANE!!! WOW! (our frosh girl had just run this time at Jesuit Relays that week, becoming ranked #3 nationally and invited to the Adidas Jim Ryun Dream Mile in New York on June 9th)

 

So training is going well. Elder Thomas is doing a great job. It is just sort of stressful training a new missionary just because of the fact that I am used to having a companion who knows what they are doing. Now I have to explain everything we do and it takes so much time. It has been a wonderful growing experience. 

 

 ... AND NOW I GET TO SING THROUGH EMAIL..

 

STOCKTON, THIS IS YOUR BIRTHDAY SONG IT ISNT VERY LONG ;)

 

:) I love you bro.. Way to be 14!! Dad told me you are dominating soccer :) WOOT WOOT!!!

 

Right now in my area we are working really hard and we are finding new investigators but "they come and go like flies" says Elder Thomas.. Right now, we are praying fervantly to be able to find a family who will accept the gospel.. 

OH.. Mom, just send a letter for Vivian to me.. and I will give it to her.. I am sorry I keep forgetting to bring her address with me so I can give it to you..

 

Right now we are working with a young man named Shane. He grew up in a non-denominational church. So he has that "everyone is right" mentality. In one of our lessons he did say he hopes this is true.. So he definitely has potential to accept the gospel...well, everyone has potential.. But he is showing good interest.. It might just take awhile..

 

Mom, dont worry about sending more packages.. I seriously dont want you to.. I dont want you to send a christmas package or next years birthday package because I am going to need some help when I get back getting on my feet and get going ya know? I will need clothes. I want to get rid of the gap in my teeth..randomness .. but I think its getting worse.. So I might have to deal with braces for awhile.. I will need new contacts.. I will need shoes.. I just dont want to be a huge huge burden when I get back.. So just forget about those packages.. and I just ask for your help when I get back.. I am doing great with emails and calls every 6 months.

 

I love you all. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PACKAGE.. Now I can run! I really want to be in decent shape when I get home so I can just jump into doing a triathlon within a month or something like that.. but we will see. FOR NOW, I am just focused on bringing the gospel to my brothers and sisters. One thing I have really realized this week, is the importance of powerful prayers. I am now praying for everything, with a grateful heart. Everything I am praying for is for the wellfare of those in Gainesvile 3rd ward area :)

 

I love you all and I cant wait to talk to you in 6 days!!! WOOT WOOT

Love,

Elder Wise