Things are looking up :) #2

Hey Fam,

I got all of your letters and they are wonderful. They help so much, and I am really grateful to be able to call you guys my family. Rach I am glad you are ok, but I definitely would have laughed at you for falling down the stairs. So I know I need a good laundry bag, because the one I have is garbage. It is already falling apart, so that is one thing I do need. I also would like a water bottle because I always seem to be thirsty. I was going to have you send my red one, but the only problem is that it leaks when it is on it's side. So if you can a different one that doesn't leak would be nice. I am doing well. The first day was rough, because they are doing a new program, where they only talk to us in spanish. So the first day, the teachers did not speak any english. That was hard for sure. We are supposed to speak in as much spanish as we can, but it is difficult, because I don't know the sentence structure and the lesson plans they have here don't teach you that until after you have had time to communicate. So I will need the Lord's help on that one for sure. Mom could you send me a list of all of the people I need to write thank you cards for. Because I forgot everyone that I need to write to. Mom dear elder worked I got your letter. I didn't get any letters last week, so I was wondering if you had forgotten about me, just kidding. I have now gotten three letters and an email from mary. So it has definitely lightened my days when I hear from you. I know I shouldn't be thinking about home, and focusing on the work, but the first few days it was difficult to do. But now I don't have a enought time to do anything, because it is class, which is mostly learning the spanish. I was very frustrated in class last night and my teacher could tell. His name is Hermano Paz Soldan. He is very nice and I like him a lot. He took me aside after class and told me that the Lord had already told him, that I had a purpose, and that if I keep working on it, I will have the words that I need when I need them most. Which is very nice to know, but it is just hard to not know anything. My companion is Elder Sheridan, and no mom he is not a tall guy, he is a short one. Picture george from seinfeld as a wrestler and you got him, minus the balding. I will get some pictures taken and send them home when I can. We only get a half hour on p-day which is tuesdays by the way for email, so if you could write me in a letter, or on dear elder that would be very nice, because then I can have them forever, and be able to write the whole time in email. If that is possible it would be great, but anyway I hear from you is fine. Mom I want pictures of the family and dogs, it doesn't matter what ones but some that I can hang up and see in my room. So if you can that would be great. I really enjoy my district. All of the elders are really easy to get along with, and I have a good time. I think the one I get along least with is my companion, which is how I figured it would be. He isn't a bad guy by any means, but the smellyness? is hard to get past, so it is hard to sit by him all the time, because it kind of makes me sick. But I was thinking today, it might just be getting me ready for the people down there, because deoderant and showering isn't that big of deal to them from what I hear. But I am trying my hardest to get along, and just pray that everything will be ok. We stay with the district almost all day so I don't have to be right next to him and stuff, so we get along, but it will be something to get used to for sure. Everyone here is a byu fan, and that is hard to get past, but none of them in my district act like byu fans which is good. I wear my utah stuff all of the time. I saw candace weller the other day and stopped to chat for a minute, she is leaving within the next week I believe. So that was cool to see someone I knew. I also saw Jonsen Crandall the other day and didn't have time to stop and talk, but then today when I was talking about seeing a friend from high school with my district meaning Jonsen, he was walking by. Which is weird. But I stopped him and we talked for a minute. He said he has been looking for me becasue he thought I came in a week earlier than I did, but that is nice to see familiar faces for sure. Any treats you send me would be awesome, becasue I always seem to need something at night. But other than that if you can think of something I might need send it. Thanks for everything and I will talk to you soon.

Love,

Elder Wheeler

P.S. My exit date is projected around september 27th or something like that.

I don't know if I said in my letter, but we are teaching an investigator, which is really just an actor that is another teacher here. But he only speaks spanish to us and we have to teach him in spanish. This started the first day, and is very challenging. Because i don't know any of the words to make sentences to teach him and he acts confused all the time, because I can't teach it in spanish. We aren't supposed to know that he is a teacher, but there are clues as to it. Because he prays in spanish like only a member could. And when we were in our language study there was another teacher in training. He was watching videos about how to teach and one of the elders pointed out to all of us that it was our investigator, wearing a white name tag, teaching the teachers how to teach. So we have to work very hard to teach the correct stuff in spanish. I am praying my guts out, and could use all of your prayers as well. I hope to hear from you all soon and thank you again for everything.