How's everyone doing? I hope everyone is doing well... it's beautiful out here in Peach Tree City... it's really starting to warm up!!! All the tree's and flowers are beginning to bloom and it's so beautiful out here!!! There's so many kinds of flowers and tree's here that I've never seen before... I'll have to take some pictures soon because it's just so gorgeous! Quick strange story... we were driving to an appointment the other day and drove through a MASSIVE swarm of bee's. It was BIZARRE!!! There was probably a few hundred thousand of them... just a giant cloud of bee's!!! Anyways... that's my random story for this week.
Not gonna lie... I wasn't the best at taking notes this week for this letter so it may be pretty short... but hopefully it will have something of worth in here for yall. So one night this week, Elder Schlesinger was praying before we went to bed... and after he did, he got up and said that he received a prompting that we were going to be tempted by the adversary to do something in the next day or two... and so we needed to be really careful (he also felt like we should sleep with our shoes on that night and to keep our light on in the room so we did that too). I ended up praying about it and felt that we did indeed need to be very careful.
Long story short, the next day we drove up to an appointment... the entire way up I just keep thinking about what we had talked about last night, about how we needed to be careful. We pulled up to the housing unit and both of us just sat there in the car... we ended up talking about how we both felt uncomfortable about being in the area for some reason and that we should probably leave. We prayed about it and indeed we felt like we needed to go... we called the investigator and apologized that we weren't able to make it (he was stuck in traffic anyways) and we turned to our backup plans.
Fast forward a bit... we went to visit a family that we've been working with... and when we got there, the mother and father were putting a car seat into the car and seemed VERY upset about something. We went over and asked how they were doing and if we could leave a blessing with them through prayer... the father then proceeded to begin saying all these terrible things about his little daughter (she's probably 6 or so years old) and how they were taking her to the doctor "because she's sick in the head". He even said some things that made Elder Schlesinger and I really worried about the little girls physical well being... we ended up leaving a blessing through prayer and walked away... we both felt EXTREMELY uncomfortable with the situation... I even turned around at one point to go back to say something to the father... but I felt like I needed to just walk away from it. We ended up stopping and talking/praying about what we should do as a companionship for about twenty or so minutes... we prayed and talked and prayed some more... eventually, we felt like we needed to have faith in the Lord that he would watch over this young child of God and keep her safe... so we walked away. It was SO HARD. It weighed pretty heavily on my mind for the rest of the night...
Fast forward to a couple days later... we went back over and it turned out that everything was fine. The little girl was happier than ever and the mother was in a great mood too... everything had worked itself out. I know that we made the right choice... but at first it certainly didn't feel that way... but we were warned and because we had been warned we knew what we needed to do.
So what did I learn from this story? ALWAYS listen to the warnings and promptings of the spirit... I don't know what would've happened had we gone back and said something or done something to try and fix the situation... but through prayer and faith, the Lord took care of everything. I'd invite all of you to keep this in mind going into this upcoming general conference (which we're SUPER excited about). The leaders of the church are there to guide us so that we can draw closer to Christ and to avoid those things that the adversary will try to use to ensnare us in his terrible and awful state of misery... please take heed to their words and their warnings... they speak with the spirit and as such, they speak the words that God and Christ themselves would say. I'd invite all of you to watch this upcoming conference with an open and willing heart to not only follow their guidance, but to actually do the things the ask us to do. All the things they'll talk about and all the things they'll invite us to do will bless us as we follow and do them...
Here are some scriptures for yall that I've found in my personal studies this week that have helped me out...
-3 Nephi 13: 33 and 34
-3 Nephi 12: 16
-3 Nephi 17 (I love this chapter... Christ is just so loving and compassionate towards us all)
-3 Nephi 18: 24 and 25
So... here are some more random things from this week. I went to the most amazing authentic Italian deli and butcher shop here in Georgia... it's called Spezzano's deli and butcher. We had the most amazing deli sandwhich... it's called the "Full Blooded Italian"... my Dad would love it.
Something pretty funny... I know some of you joked with me about how I'd convert Josh Smith, or maybe a member of Derrick Favors family... or some other ATL baller. So... turns out we're teaching a relative of Marvin Williams... and when I say relative, I mean a fairly close relative haha. I'll give more details on that situation as it progresses... "Let go, let God" is her saying though and it's something I've been using more and more each day. It's amazing how the more you turn over to the the Lord the more that he blesses you. I've really been trying to turn EVERYTHING I have over to the Lord lately... and it's hard... but I know that he knows best not just for me but for everyone.
I'd invite yall to examine your lives and ask yourselves "How can I have more faith in the Lord in my life?". Completely turn yourself and your life over to him and he'll lead you to exactly where you need to be at exactly the right time in your life. It's hard (trust me) but its so worth it... do everything you can to draw closer to him and to increase your faith. Faith is everything... and you can never have too much faith. Pray often too!!!!!!
I love yall so much... I hope with all my heart and soul that every one of you is having a blessed and good time in life right now. Thank so much for all that you're doing... yall are such amazing people and God loves yall so much. Thanks for all the letters... each one of them make me smile. Please keep writing and again, I'm sorry if I don't respond to yall. Just know that I read and cherish each and everyone I get (especially from you cousins!!!). I love you, the Lord loves you... and he'll never lead you astray.
Take care and have a blessed week,
Elder Wahlen
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