HereamI

Hola Amigos,

Today I just want to write some more thoughts that have come to me during the week. 

First thought: It isn´t over till it´s over!

This is what Elder Holland said various times in a talk he gave to BYU students that I have. That we must press forward always with faith! I think that applies to the mission and to life. Word hard till the end! Elder Pietz, my new companion, is fantastic! From Louisiana, ready to work! Ha I´m pretending to be Argentino these days and NOT SPEAK english to practice his spanish. We have to always keep our guard up, to keep ourselves away from the enemy. As Severus Snape poignantly said, ¨The Dard Lord. ISN´T. Resting.¨ As Sean Kelly likewise says, ¨It´s cool to care.¨ Satan will always weaken us if he can. I am about to finish the book of mormon. The nephites learned that lesson over and over and over! Persistence is key.

Second thought is a variation of the first: Don´t give up!

Two areas ago for me (around christmas time) I was in Villa Amelia. Easily one of my favorite areas. We had a fantastic family named the familia Monasterio. Estela, Tatiana, and Mía and others. We were really trying to get them going for baptism, because they were so ready and so prepared! They were just scared for that step. Well, I left and they didn´t get baptized. But this week I got a little package in the mail. Estela sent me a little foto of her baptism with a tie and a two page letter. I was shocked/humbled/grateful and very happy! She thanked me for my persistence in helping her and her family. She thanked me for little things (giving her the book of mormon, inviting her to church, calling her and her family to see how they´re doing, etc.). What a blessing and miracle for me that was. 

Third thought:  Here am I. 

That phrase, or ones like it, are used many times in chapter 22 of Genesis. That is where the Lord commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. This was an insight given by Elder Pietz this week. Abraham is a great example of obedience. He could´ve taken the attitude of (some of my investigators) and said, ¨Well, God doesn´t need me to KILL my son to know that I have faith and I´m obedient. God knows me.¨ But he didn´t. When he was about to do it, the angel called him and he said ¨Here am I.¨ To me, it´s kind of communicating obedience. Here am I, I´m ready to serve. I will do thy will, Lord. 

I love my family and my investigators and Elder Pietz! Thanks for everything.

Elder Wheelcon

some fotos of a family home evening/birthday cake we had for my golden bday😁