November 23, 2009

,

We are thinking of all of you with grateful hearts; Thanksgiving is such a wonderful time to count our blessings. We love what is on the Church's website as they interview people on the streets of New York City. We also love the example the Bednar family set by offering prayers of gratitude only when there was a death in their ward and a visiting general authority, who asked them to offer such prayers, was visiting in their home. We are so grateful to be citizens of the United States and to have the fullness of the Gospel to guide us and help us be happy. May you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

We have a very interesting week. We had Zone Conference in St. Lucia and their were 10 of us who went from St. Vincent. We have learned that it is a good time for the senior couples to spent some time at the beach and at the resort where we stay while Pres. Gamiette interviews all the elders. Pres. Gamiette brought his wife and three of their youngest children with them which made it fun for everyone. We had a great time for a few hours on Tuesday afternoon in the ocean and at the beach. The next day was full with meetings and preparing lunch, cleaning up and getting to the airport in time for our flight back to St. Vincent. Pres. Gamiette presented a plan for the mission to adopt which will help new members and less actives. It is called the 40 day plan. We track those with whom we are working for 40 days as to what we are teaching them and with whom and if they are reading the Book of Mormon, attending meetings, paying tithing, having family prayer, personal prayer and keeping the commandments. We feel that it is inspired and will help so much with the retention here in the Caribbean.

We also have had quite a week at the hospital. On Friday Shanet Charles passed away after a terrible fight with cancer. We have talked about her before and we know that she is in wonderful circumstances now. We hope that she will have the blessing of being taught the gospel there. She had just begun to hear the gospel here and had felt the power of the priesthood through blessings. The same day, Morel had a baby boy which they named Delroy. We love this family so much. They were the first non-members we met when we arrived here in St. Vincent. They have finally resolved Wilson's (father of Morel's children) paperwork and will be able to start the paperwork for their marriage license so they can be married and baptized. That will be such a wonderful day for all of us. Then there will be three members in that family, Wilson, Morel, and Delano 9 yrs. old.

On Saturday was another great day in the Kingstown branch. Brother Providence has been a member of the Church for 10 years and his wife has never joined. The member thought that it would never happen. Well, Elders Huntsman and Ackerman taught her and she accepted baptism. It was a beautiful sight to see Bro.
and Sis. Providence in baptismal white with their family. They are acting like newly weds and looking forward to going to the temple to receive their endowments and be sealed as a family.

We had a great Sunday in the Calliaqua branch and spent the afternoon and evening visiting and teaching new members, investigators and less active members. Got to love 'em!!!

We also have settled back into a routine here after thinking (off and on for the last month) that we would be transferred to the mission office in Trinidad. We are feeling much more relaxed as it would have been a huge challenge to learn the technology and all the ins and outs of dealing with so many countries. There are three languages, 5 currencies and I'm not sure how many different governments making the West Indies Mission one of the most complex in the world. It was quite a miracle as a couple came into the picture who wanted to serve an office mission for the full 18 months and are "computer experts". I am so grateful for miracles. We will also be having several senior couples going home the first several months of 2010 and we are recruiting any of you who think that you would like to serve in paradise. Please let us know!!!

Well, for another week.....

Much love,
Elder and Sister Wheeler
,

We are thinking of all of you with grateful hearts; Thanksgiving is such a wonderful time to count our blessings. We love what is on the Church's website as they interview people on the streets of New York City. We also love the example the Bednar family set by offering prayers of gratitude only when there was a death in their ward and a visiting general authority, who asked them to offer such prayers, was visiting in their home. We are so grateful to be citizens of the United States and to have the fullness of the Gospel to guide us and help us be happy. May you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

We have a very interesting week. We had Zone Conference in St. Lucia and their were 10 of us who went from St. Vincent. We have learned that it is a good time for the senior couples to spent some time at the beach and at the resort where we stay while Pres. Gamiette interviews all the elders. Pres. Gamiette brought his wife and three of their youngest children with them which made it fun for everyone. We had a great time for a few hours on Tuesday afternoon in the ocean and at the beach. The next day was full with meetings and preparing lunch, cleaning up and getting to the airport in time for our flight back to St. Vincent. Pres. Gamiette presented a plan for the mission to adopt which will help new members and less actives. It is called the 40 day plan. We track those with whom we are working for 40 days as to what we are teaching them and with whom and if they are reading the Book of Mormon, attending meetings, paying tithing, having family prayer, personal prayer and keeping the commandments. We feel that it is inspired and will help so much with the retention here in the Caribbean.

We also have had quite a week at the hospital. On Friday Shanet Charles passed away after a terrible fight with cancer. We have talked about her before and we know that she is in wonderful circumstances now. We hope that she will have the blessing of being taught the gospel there. She had just begun to hear the gospel here and had felt the power of the priesthood through blessings. The same day, Morel had a baby boy which they named Delroy. We love this family so much. They were the first non-members we met when we arrived here in St. Vincent. They have finally resolved Wilson's (father of Morel's children) paperwork and will be able to start the paperwork for their marriage license so they can be married and baptized. That will be such a wonderful day for all of us. Then there will be three members in that family, Wilson, Morel, and Delano 9 yrs. old.

On Saturday was another great day in the Kingstown branch. Brother Providence has been a member of the Church for 10 years and his wife has never joined. The member thought that it would never happen. Well, Elders Huntsman and Ackerman taught her and she accepted baptism. It was a beautiful sight to see Bro.
and Sis. Providence in baptismal white with their family. They are acting like newly weds and looking forward to going to the temple to receive their endowments and be sealed as a family.

We had a great Sunday in the Calliaqua branch and spent the afternoon and evening visiting and teaching new members, investigators and less active members. Got to love 'em!!!

We also have settled back into a routine here after thinking (off and on for the last month) that we would be transferred to the mission office in Trinidad. We are feeling much more relaxed as it would have been a huge challenge to learn the technology and all the ins and outs of dealing with so many countries. There are three languages, 5 currencies and I'm not sure how many different governments making the West Indies Mission one of the most complex in the world. It was quite a miracle as a couple came into the picture who wanted to serve an office mission for the full 18 months and are "computer experts". I am so grateful for miracles. We will also be having several senior couples going home the first several months of 2010 and we are recruiting any of you who think that you would like to serve in paradise. Please let us know!!!

Well, for another week.....

Much love,
Elder and Sister Wheeler