Email from Dereck 2/23/09

Dereck has had a hard week this past week. Here is what he had to say in his last email.
"This week has been the most trying of my mission. Starting last Monday everything started to go wrong. Our big family cancelled on us four times. Our baptism was pushed back a week and in every lesson it just seemed as if I couldn't speak at all and that I would just stutter and not make any sense. I have been studying like I have never studied before and to continue to see myself fail is really hard on me and you all know how hard I am on myself...the thing that is keeping me to just push on to the next lesson, the next door, are my prayers. If I couldn't communicate with my Heavenly Father on the basics, I couldn't do this anymore. It would overwhelm me and I would just become a mess. It gets hard to put on a smile but you know that when there is a big trial in our life and times get hard that something big is coming around the corner. I have learned to just keep that hope that it is just around the corner. That if I put my faith in our Heavenly Father that he will help me. As I continue to serve with charity then Iwill be happy. I love to know that it will get better."

I am hopeful that this week is going better for him and that is spirits will be lifted. I know that he will gain confidence in his abilities to teach as he studies. We keep reminding him that missions are hard, but so worth it. He has grown so much more than I think he realizes. He has endured hard things before and has been able to push through. He will continue to push through. He knows that he has the Lord on his side and sounds like he is placing his trust and faith in Him to do all that is asked of him as a missionary. His scripture that he chose to put on his plaque is found in Nephi 1 3:7. He knows that the Lord will provide a way.
Anyway, long story short, if you would keep him in your prayers I know it would be appreciated.

Thank you to everyone who sent hearts to us for Dereck. He got the heart attack and seemed to have a lot of fun reading the messages, so thank you so much! He wrote in his last note (and it is a note, because it would be lying if I called it a letter) that he really appreciates all of the support that he receives. We received a call from a lady from the mission field that was calling us to tell us that she saw Elder Wesche and he wanted to tell us Happy Valentine's and that he loves us - unfortunately, we weren't home to really talk to her, but it made me all happy inside just the same. He has a couple of baptisms lined up, but doesn't really know when they will happen as they keep experiencing delays and have had a couple of setbacks but he seems to realize that it may all be for the best and they just try to help them become more prepared to be baptized. He finally sent a couple of new pictures. They are fun and he looks so happy!

Well-we have finally got a little bit of information from the boy to pass along. He is still in Glendale, but has moved out of his apartment and into a past mission president's home, complete with pool tables, air hockey and a foosball table, and all kinds of forbidden fruits -- except on P-Day, but he says it is hard to walk by it everyday on his way to the kitchen.
The family of 12 with 8 of baptism age that they have been working with has now increased to 9. One child had a birthday and is now 8 years old. We pray that this family will feel the spirit and recognize the truth.
He was able to find a bike that he liked and is liking the exercise (he is his father's child). He says his area covers about a 10 square mile radius. For those who have a map, or want to google one, his area goes from 83rd to 35th and from Northern to Maryland...umm, yeah.
He was so grateful that he didn't have to go tracting the day after the Super Bowl -- I guess the people in Arizona were just not that happy with the outcome! Personally, I loved it! He was excited to tell us that he was able to shake L. Tom Perry's hand - He came and spoke to his mission about two weeks ago. (See if I would update this regularly all of this information would be in order! SORRY!)
Scott has started emailing questions about the gospel for Dereck to research and find the answers in the scriptures. It has been fun to see him grow in his knowledge. Dereck also encourages all of us to read Elder Bednar's talk on pray, I think it was in the 2008 fall conference issue. He says in his letter, "I can't tell you how much my testimony of prayer has increased in the last 4 months. Its been amazing and I love praying now!"
One final note -- he wants to wish "his boys" good luck on the State wrestling tournament that is going on on Feb 11,12,13. He even wore his wrestling shirt on P-Day this week in support of his team! I can't believe that is been a year since we were all sitting in the gym at UVU watching him. So, Go Vikings!