Monday, August 26, 2013


Hey y'all,
How's everyone doing??? Today is an exciting day... we found out that we're getting 50 new missionaries here in the mission and that the Atlanta West zone is getting an additional 13 amazing missionaries (If I remember correctly haha). The work is truly accelerating forward... 

He is coming. Soon. So much sooner than we can possibly realize. Maybe some of you can see it... but most importantly you can feel it. Amazing things are happening... and just like Elder Bednar said... there is no more greater time than this. You all were chosen and planned to be here at this time to help prepare the way for the Lord... and He is coming! How amazing will that be? Can you imagine the day when we can embrace our brother and Savior and or Father in Heaven? Incredible.

Today I just wanted to share a brief experience I was so blessed to have... this week I was truly humbled as one of the investigators the mighty Sister missionaries here in Atlanta worked with asked me to confirm her a member of the church and help her recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost. I was nervous... no lie! But as I was able to pronounce the prayer... I felt such a calm come over me. I really don't know or remember what I said... but I know that what I felt was truth. I don't know if what I just said made any sense to any of you... but I can testify and promise to every one who reads this... and anyone and everyone who will listen (and those who won't!) that this is the true church of Jesus Christ restored here on the Earth. 

I was able to go to the Ebenezar Baptist church today... the one that Martin Luther King Jr. preached at... and it was amazing... yet there was something so vital and important missing. It didn't have the feeling that the churches of the restored church of Jesus Christ (of latter-day saints) has.... it just wasn't the same. The stain glass windows, the beautiful flower arrangements, etc... it looked amazing, but it didn't feel like it does when we step into our churches. I promise you... that this is the true church. That God and Christ are so much closer than we can imagine. They are right here with us... and we can feel of their love and peace and comfort as we go to church each and every week. We're so blessed to have that in our lives. Never miss an opportunity to go to church... even if you feel unworthy to be there... you're always welcomed to come and be a part of the family of Christ. We love you. He loves you... He wants you there.

One last note... just know that all trials are a good thing. They are opportunities to grow. Even at the times when you just have to sit down and cry and ask yourself "What is to be done? I don't know how to do this!!!" Trust me... its all part of the plan. God will guide you and help you in coming to know what to do to overcome those trials. He will help you to learn and to grow in the way that He needs you to... and the way that will help you be the happiest. Nephi didn't know how to build the ship... but the Lord helped him do so cause it was His will. He will help you!
I love you all so much! Have a blessed day!
-
Elder Wahlen

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Love those pictures

                                                       Missionaries need to eat!


self defense class

                                                    Teaching at a zone conference


I got these pictures off of Marks mission facebook site

Facebook...

The pictures of Mark are posted in "Mission Leadership Council-July 2013"

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaAtlantaMission

Getting tricky with the computer... Don't know if this will work, but try clicking on this link to see Mark's mission Facebook page. He has a few pictures posted.

Monday, August 19, 2013

Hello from the abnormally cold ATL!!!



Hey y'all,
How are y'all doing? My brothers and sisters... wow... I'm so blessed to know each of you! To be able to call every last one of you my brother and sister... what a blessing we've been given to be here together! To learn and to grow together... to help each other make it back to Him once day as an eternal family!!! I love each of you so much. Y'all are the most amazing people.

So today....I actually have a story!
So... my companion and I, along with a member went out to teach some of the amazing families we've been blessed with to meet and teach here in ATL. Together we went to our last appointment for the night... we arrived at about 8:00 pm... and we had called this amazing individual about 15 minutes before to give her a heads up that we were coming over. She had said it was ok and that she would be expecting a phone call from us so that she could come and let us in the door (She lives in an apartment comlpex where you go through a door that requires a key to get to all the apartments). So we arrived.... and we give her a call. No answer. We walk ourselves up to the door and try calling a couple more times. No answer. We keep waiting outside the door... watching the time slip by as we patiently wait for her to answer her phone or to come and let us in... no answer. No coming to the door. 

The time ticked down to about 8:18... and we're getting pretty worried... we have to be back in by 9:00 to be stay obedient... but she's not answering!!! We wouldn't have time to teach her if we couldn't get in to see her in the next few minutes... so what were we to do???? As we sat there, calling her over and over and over again... the thought came to my mind. "Why not pray? God is the almighty... surely He can open this door". So we did just that. I stopped and said a prayer and asked God to open the door so we could go in and teach her... and I asked for it to happen in the next 5 minutes. So we go back to waiting... and we even started a timer for 5 minutes because we knew that God would answer our prayer within the time we asked... time keeps ticking on and after a couple minutes we see a car in the parking garage that is having trouble starting. So we think... "well, maybe its not starting cause that's who is going to let us in". So we walk over to talk to this person... we start talking and time keeps going by... before we know it, the 5 minute mark hits... and lo and behold, someone comes out of the door!!! Right on the 5 minute mark! However, we didn't think this through all the way and none of us are standing by the door and it shuts again before we can get to it... and sadly the man who came through didn't have his key! 

But it's ok! God is the same yesterday, today and forever... if it worked once, it could surely work again... couldn't it? So this time, my companion says the prayer (cause I had used mine up for the night, right?). And he asks for the door to be opened again... but this time within "2 or 3 minutes" because now we're REALLY running out of time.... and to make a long story short (even though it only spanned 2 or 3 minutes)... right at the 3 minute mark, a group of people walk through the door and let us in. We were then able to go to the apartment of the lady we were to teach... and the spirit was able to teach an awesome lesson. It truly was a miracle.

There are many things I learned from this experience... and I'm sure y'all can think of others... but one thing I came to realize is that God and Jesus Christ... they truly hold the keys to EVERY door in life. They will open doors and opportunities to us in life as we're obedient and as we ask in faith for help... they will open doors and lead us to them... and we will be happier than ever as we choose to walk through those doors. Christ holds the keys to the doors of Heaven... and as we follow Him, and trust Him with ourselves, He will guide us and let us in. He loves us. 

I love you! Gotta run now but have a blessed day!
-Elder Wahlen

Monday, August 12, 2013

Hello, hello!! ATL is doing good!!!

Hey y'all,
 
How's everyone doing today??? I hope y'all are having a blessed week. I know and I testify to each of you that God loves you... and He has a plan for you. He is in the details of your lives... and He is A LOT closer than you think... Him and His angels... they are literally right there beside you... and always will be!!!
 
So... I've been trying to decide what I'd email about this week... and I really just want to talk about two things: Obedience and prayer. As we're obedient to the commandments, we're allowing God to bless us. It sounds so simple... but yet it can be so hard at times to be obedient. Obedience shows our love and faith to God... and as we do so... and we become purified and worthy of the blessings He has in store for us... and as we pray and ask SPECIFICALLY for what we need... He will bless you with those things. He is literally waiting to pour down blessings upon us... we just have to be obedient and then ask!!! Prayer, combined with obedience and faith brings about miracles (and the powers of all the Heavens). I invite each of you to continue to be obedient to the commandments of God... and to pray each and every day.... multiple times!
 
Just a short experience to close things up... my companion and I have made an effort to be EXACTLY obedient in all things... and as we've done so... we've prayed and asked for specifically to be led to families who are in need of the gospel... and those that have been prepared to accept the message... as a result, we've been able to find 20 new people to teach this week... many of them being large families... and each time we've been led to them... all I'll say is that each of them were miracles. The Lord truly guided us there. Sorry I don't have time to elaborate (30 seconds!) but I promise that prayer and obedience will call down the powers of Heaven for you in your life.
 
We love you!
 
-Elder Wahlen

New Pictures

These are pictures from a zone conference that we got off the mission Facebook


Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Who's that handsome guy



Forgot My camera but here is a picture of me and my new companion from Mission council that Sister Harding took! (get on our missions Facebook page... there should be some pictures of me on there.)
Love you, Elder Wahlen

GeorgiaAtlantaldsmission-PresidentJohn&deborahHarding

Monday, August 5, 2013

big hello from the wonderful land of Georgia


Hey y'all,
Good to see y'all smiling today! And if you're not yet... well, take a moment and remind yourself that you're amazing.... and that you're loved... because I love you! God loves you! Christ loves you! There's ALWAYS going to be someone there for you who loves you. I promise.

So things are going good... the work is moving really accelerating. I can testify of that. The amazing missionaries out here... they're finding, teaching and baptizing so many amazing families. So blessed and humbled to be here with so many incredible souls... and I'm learning so much. Quick notes.... if you haven't lately, try doing something fun with your family (or at least someone in your family if you're spread out... even if its just a phone call!). Families are the Gospel... families are so important and such a blessing in our lives... take the time to express your love and support to each other. Even if its just a small act or mention...

So here's a story (a quick one... again sorry for the time constraint! Also, Kaylee Brown... you're awesome! Love y'all Davis High Darts!).... we were invited yesterday by President Harding to find a family to teach and invite to be baptized (specifically to be baptized in the month of August.) by the end of the night. It was daunting invitation at first... and we had our doubts and even fears about failing to accomplish that expectation... but we stopped and thought "Hey, this is the Lords work!!! This is His will... He wants to find families and bring them to be a part of the family of Christ... why be afraid? Why doubt?"... and we went forward in full faith that we'd find a family. But we knew it wouldn't just happen... we knew we had to do our part... so we committed to be EXACTLY obedient... we committed to WORK DILIGENTLY... and to pray like we've never prayed before. We knew that adversary was (and has been) stepping up his game, so we knew we had to step ours up as well... so we went out and did everything we could... but most importantly, we prayed... we prayed like crazy! We probably prayed 2 or 3 dozen times throughout the day... but we didn't just do it to do it... we made sure to put our hearts and souls into every prayer... and long story short... at the very end of the day... when the last hours of the day were about to tick away... He led us to an amazing family. I can testify to each of you... that through faith, obedience and diligence... and prayer... real prayer that has our hearts, souls and minds behind it... I testify that miracles will happen. He will answer your prayers. Never hesitate to pray. There is real power behind prayer. I promise. I pray each of you have a blessed day. We love you! God and Christ love you! I invite each of you to pray today and every day!

-Elder Wahlen