New Pics

Hey fam,

So since we talked yesterday I guess I will just send some pics for you guys. These are some of the families from my ward. The ones that we are wearing the jersey with. That is the lady that gives us lunch every thursday and washes our clothes too. And the others are ones we had lunch with. And i think there is one of one of the investigators that we are working with right now. Maybe not I am not sure what I attachet now. But ya here are some of the pics and I will get the others you want as we go. But it was great to talk to you all yesterday, I am doing great and hope you all have a good week! thanks again for everything!


Love,
Elder Wheeler

The Christmas Call in 6 days!

Hey fam,

So how are all of you? So I am a very excited and worried all at the same time. Because they told us this week that we can use skype. So I am trying to figure it all out. Maybe we can use both, but we will see. If it turns out that we can only use one it will be the phone call. But ya we will figure that out. So I attached some photos, of the family of the kids we baptized, then of our asado that we had because elder benitez is headed home as we speak. So that was really fun.

I am really blessed to have all the people I do around me. I know that everyone in my path has been put there for a reason and that it is all up to our Heavenly Father. So this week is transfers. I am getting another gringo dang it! No just kidding I am happy with whatever I need to do. Just want to have a latino companion. I hear that the kid I will be with is really cool and very funny. So we will see. Just before christmas we have been invited to the other wards bishop's house to spend christmas eve night or party or whatever there. Because here, they have a really late dinner and party and stuff on christmas eve. So we have permission to stay out until like midnight. And their bishop is going to pick us up and take us back in a car so we won´t be out in the streets at night. Which is very cool. He is like the coolest guy and I am really excited to be able to spend some time celebrating with them.


So I am going to try and film myself opening my present. I have been a good little boy like my mommy taught me and not opened the thing that is rolled up and says that I can´t open it until christmas. I have only gotten one package so far. And I think you said that you sent more so if you did then I will get them like two days after christmas because we have the mission christmas party on the 27th so we will be in mendoza and I can get them. But the one I did get made it all in tact wasn´t opened, and didn´t cost me anything. So that was good. I think the ones that cost are just because whoever sends it doesn´t pay for all of it on their end or something. Also I hear that the envelopes are better because they don´t usually open them, and they are free. So it might just be the boxes that you have to pay for. So the way you sent the one was perfect.

I talked to josh simmons today over email, and he informed me that he and cade and cory are doing a gift exchange for christmas. And that I was invited to join. We are all going to send each other something cool from our mission, so I thought that was a really cool idea. I am really thankful for the opportunity I have had to have such good friends. I am so blessed to be able to have them as friends. 

So I was going to tell you because I know it will make you jealous haha. Just kidding but in the back yard of our house. There is tree full of peaches. And I go out and eat them every morning for breakfast. I have never been able to walk outside and pull some fruit off of the tree. It is so cool. It is the perfect season for all of the fruit. There are apricot trees all over in the streets, and tons of apricots all over the roads. I really like being able to see fruit, because when you live in utah it is pretty rare to see fruit on the trees. I just wanted to let you know that I am eating fruit from the back yard in december. Weird i know right?

Anyway, it has been a very quick twelve weeks. I already have five months in my mission. Notice I didn´t say in "the" mission. Because everyone says that and I am not a big fan. But anyway the time is just flying by, I will have six months next week and already be a fourth done. So that is crazy. But I am really excited for something different, because I am officially out of training. So yay I am not a newbie haha. But I love you all and hope that all is well at home. We will be talking very soon and I can´t wait. If we can skype it will be very good to see all of you. Sorry for the short notice i got the same. I hope we can work it out. But if not we will atleast be able to talk. So you have the number and rach has my contact info for skype. I am praying that it will all work out and that you all have a wonderful week. I hope you enjoy the pics and the letter. I am so blessed to have a wonderful family like you guys, I know that I wouldn´t be here without you guys. So thank you so much for all that you do for me. It is much appreciated. 

Love,
Elder Wheeler

p.s. Em you said you have my present but I can´t have it til I get home. What is that bunk? haha just kidding. I would like to see a picture of it or something so I can know what it is. And on the food things, any candy from the states would be awesome. But if not don´t worry about it. Also there should be a surprise in the mail hopefully soon for ben. I hope you like it beejer! If not give it to the gee-bear. Just kidding you should like it. I wasn´t going to say anything and have it be a complete surprise, but I want you guys to be looking for it in the next few weeks. I don´t know how long it will take to get there, but hopefully it will be there soon. So keep your eyes out for a little package from me. It only has ben´s present because it is pretty pricey to send stuff. So if there is something you want let me know and I can send it, but when I don´t know if your going to like it, I don´t want to waste the time and money to send it. So please if there is something you want let me know.

Short letter

Hey Everybody,

So it sounds like you got everything picked up after the big storm. And it sounds like all is well except for the trees in the front yard. Isn´t that a good thing, because now you can kill all of the little ones that go throughout the yard right? Anyway everything here is going good. Nothing new this week. And this computer wont let me send photos right now. So this week it doesn´t look like I will be able to send any. But next week for sure.

Is it just me or are the weeks just flying by. It doesn´t feel like it should be christmas in two weeks. Not at all. But that might be because it is still a hundred degrees outside, not sure. I am not used to it at all. It is definitley christmas in july. But the work goes on like always. The time flies faster and faster. I am only a week away from being the trainee and on to being something else. I can´t wait. I mean it isn´t that I don´t like my companion, we get along just fine, but we have nothing in common, so it is hard to come up with conversations to have. But I will be happy to have a different challenge in the next few weeks. So I still have not gotten any packages, and that might be because nobody has gone to the offices but I am not sure. So I don´t know if I will be getting them before christmas or not. I hope so, but ya never know. And if not it´s all good, I´ll get them soon. 

So my bud Elder Benitez is headed home right before christmas. It is weird to see people going home when I am just getting here. But that´s ok, I am not worried about it. I still have a lot of time to be able to work, and I don´t want to waste any of the time that I have been given. So I don´t think about the end, just about what I need to be doing right now. It is really good to have the other elder´s and learn from their experience. Because they have good techniques that I can use, but at the same time they also have bad techniques haha. But that´s okay you just have to learn from everyones experiences right?

So I have some information for the phone call. .. This is the cell phone that we have and you guys are supposed to call me. This the full number that you guys should need. And I am not sure what time you should call because I don´t have my new companion and we have to coordinate times so I am giving you this now so that you can be ready. So I will give you an update when I know more, but this is the info. that I already have, so there you go. 

I am trying to think of more things to tell you guys, but nothing really happened this week. It was elder benitez´s birthday on sunday so I bought some stuff to make pizzas saturday night and we had a little party for him on sunday night. I had stuff for three of them so it was good. I am enjoying my time here, and also working hard and trying to stay focused. But all is well and I hope that all is well at home. Sorry for the short letter, I don´t have any good stories this week, but I will for next week. 

So I love you all and hope that everything is well with you all. If there is anything you need from me let me know. But I will talk to you all next week. Have a good week.

love,
Elder Wheeler

The pup Aliberto!!

Hey Everybody,

So it has been a good week. I mean everything comes with it´s challenges, but it all depends on how your outlook is to how it will work out.  I am just trying to be happy and have a good outlook on everything so that it will be good. 

A quick explanation of the pics. The first one I believe is of our pup. He sleeps outside the apartment or house whatever you want to call it. And whenever he sees us in the street he follows us around for a minute and then finds something else to do. But he doesn´t stay all day in front of the house he goes out and plays and then waits for a little pet from all of us and then goes back to sleep. His name is Aliberto. Well that is his name from us I don´t know if he had a different one. But that is his name now. 

Then the other one is of the four of us eating pizza. There is a member in our ward that has a rotiseria. And so we order our food from them when we are hungry at night. It is really good. The other elder in the pic that you probably haven´t seen before is the other zone leader now. He is a really cool kid. His name is Elder Benitez. We have gone on splits a few times and we have a really good time together, and get a lot of things done. He knows some english so he throws some english words in while we are talking to people, and only the two of us know what he is saying. But ya it is a lot of fun.


He played professional soccer before the mission. So he made some good money haha. But he doesn´t act like it which is the best part. He wants to come play for RealSalt Lake after he finishes. So we´ll see haha. He is finished this transfer. He lives in Buenas Aires so he has an hour plain ride and he is home. How would it be to only have to travel one hour...Ya, I have no idea. But  that is his story and it is so awesome how you can not know each other, and a week later you are best friends. It is a really cool thing. 

Then the next pics drum roll please .............Yay! We had another baptism. This is the lady that I told the story about when we went through the rain to find her. She was just open to everything and was prepared to receive the gospel. And the other is of her and the relief society and the member that she lives with. The member is the one with the two little twins that are going through the "terrible twos" for sure. So that was a very nice way to end the week.

So what is all this talk about a huge storm? Did you say it was wednesday? Because we had one on saturday that was right before the baptism which was bad.. people down here are afraid of the weather. If it is a little cold they don´t want to leave especially when it is down pouring with a ton of wind. But right before the storm it was like ninety degrees so I was thankful, because we were in the church watching the font anyway. The weather was perfect for the baptism because it all cleared up and was good.  I was thankful for the cool down because it has been boiling hot for a few weeks now. 


All went well for the baptism. Well almost all went well. The ward mission leader is an 82 year old man, so as you can imagine he is a little hard of hearing and doesn´t understand how to read the program. So everytime he sat down he would ask us about what was next and it was not an inside voice he was using.  More times than not it was during somebodies talk it was so hard to not laugh. And then his wife is in her seventies I think but she acts like a teenager. And it just so happens that her ringtone to her cell phone is homer simpson and how he needs a drink or something like that. Ya it went off during the old bishops talk. It was a classic baptism. Like one of those that everything goes wrong but then the lady loved it and told us how perfect it was, so I was thankful that she didn´t notice the things that I did.


Then we had some refreshments and after that we had to mop out the last couple inches of water in the font,  the pump isn´t able to suck that out.  We were there all day in the church. It was one of the longest days I have had, because I wasn't able to go out and work. I already realized that working hard makes the time go by fast, but that just made it more apparent that when you can´t work the time drags, and that is when it gets hard. But other than that it has all been really good. 


Today we went to the church and played some soccer with all of the elders. It was really fun, but also very hot. It is nice to be able to just get out and run around and let some of the energy that you have been storing up all week. I mean your tired all week, but that is more mentally tired than anything.  We had a good time there.  I was on Elder Benitez´s team, and hey who isn´t going to win when you have a professional soccer player on your team haha.

Today we went and weighed ourselves. Elder Benitez and I. Because he needed something to eat and we walked by a pharmacy. There is a scale in every pharmacy. So ya um I have lost a little weight since being here. I feel like I eat ten times more though. The members make you eat like ten plates of food. It´s not like I don´t like it or anything like that, they just think that I can eat a ton because I am tall. Ya I don´t eat like other elders. Our family just doesn´t eat. I know I eat more than the girls but still not what they want me to eat. So I have been eating a ton, but I have lost more than twenty pounds so far to be exact. But everything is good. I am doing well. Not sick or anything just losing weight I guess. 

I hope that everyone at home is doing well. It sounds like you were all safe from the storm that´s good. I love you all and let me know if you need anything from me.

Mom thanks for checking the bank, and no I have not seen any of the packages yet. They might have made it to the offices, but we are three hours away from the offices and they only get here if someone goes to the offices. So I will get them eventually but I don´t have any yet. 

Anyway I love you all and hope you enjoy the letters and pictures. If anybody wants a letter or something let me know. Thanks for everything.

Love,
Elder Wheeler

"..had some really good mashed potatoes so I was content.." (must be my bro)

Hey Fam,

It sounds like everyone is doing pretty good. I am glad to hear that. So the pictures attatched. First is a picture of a not sure what he has, but he has quite a few fuzzy channels. He is the brother of one of the members that lives like two houses down from us. But he reminds me of jack. But it is with soccer haha. It is so fun to talk with him.

And the other two are of our chapel. Em asked about what they looked like. I am still working on the houses. But those are some of the chapel for now.

For this week lets see... We got to celebrate a little dinner on thursday night for thanksgiving. But no turkey haha. Turkey is really expensive here, so none of that. But one of the hermanas that is in her thirties I think made some really good mashed potatoes so I was content. Because the chicken that they made was not very good and was still pink inside. So I tried to steer clear because I didn´t really want to be sick for the next few days. The sister missionaries are pretty proud of their cooking skills haha. Let´s just say I am not to impressed. But anyway it was fun to get to celebrate a little with the zone. 

So this week I don´t really have any stories to tell. I mean we always work hard, but nothing out of the ordinary happened this week. This weekend coming we are having a baptism for that lady that I have told you about. She is so excited. And we have just been reviewing everything with her so that she feels good about it all. 

Oh ya about the calling situations I am not sure on all of the details yet, but I will tell you the things that I do know. Unfortunately no they don´t get to skype down here. I was pretty dissappointed when I heard that, oh well. So apparently we set up a time on that day and you guys call me. Transfers are the 21st so we can´t really coordinate that yet. Because depending on when my new comp wants to call and if I am even in this area and all of that. So they are going to tell us all of the information later, but right now that is what I know. That you guys will be calling me.  I am a little dissapointed that we don´t get to skype, but what can you do. I will let you know when I know more about it all. 

So this past week we had two asados. Wow they feed you so much food here. First was the one with the elder´s quorum, because they have one planned for once a month. So that was really good. For that one we went to the church and got to play ping pong for a little bit. It was really fun. I wish I would have had my camera to take some pictures, but I can´t carry it around with me while we are proselyting..I will try to get some next time. 


Then on sunday the ward mission leader and his wife invited us to go with them to one of the recent converts houses to have one. These converts live clear and the crap in the boonies. Like at the edge of what we have been to in our area. We haven´t quite been to the end because it goes forever, but ya. So we got to have one there as well. So I was pretty full for saturday and sunday. All they use to season the meat is salt. And it is just really good. Because they have a fire and get the coals really hot and then put a grate like one you would use camping over the coals and cook the meat. It is nothing special, but it is so good.

It was ward conference on Sunday because they released our bishop because he has been sick for a while and is almost 80 years old, so he can´t really do all of the things asked of him. But the new bishop they called is awesome. He was the first counselor and is a returned missionary, but he is just a really cool guy and I am excited to see what he will do. 

Back to the dude in the picture with me. His name is Carlos. But we all call him Carlitos. He is in his 50´s and he lives with his sister because the parents died and he can´t live on his own. But he is a fan of boca and the rest of the family are river fans. Those are the two big rival teams here. So he gets a lot of crap for that. And he doesn´t come to church because he is always sleeping in. But he is a member and we are trying to get him to want to come. He wouldn´t come this week because he was going to the game in Mendoza, but he said that he would come this week so I hope so. He is just so fun to be around. Because he reminds me of gack. We are talking to him about coming to church and he is listening and then just turns the conversation into how many cups his soccer team has won. So ya we always leave there laughing our heads off. It is so fun. And the sister that owns the house likes us and always invites us over to have food and be with them. So it is really fun.
 
Mom I was wondering if you could check my card, because I don´t know how much I have on there. I pulled out about a hundred pesos from checking which would be about twenty five dollars. So would you check and see if everything is good, and how much I have on there?

It´s not a problem and I don´t need money, just wondering what it all is and if all of the funds are good. So just wondering. 
But I can´t think of anything else to write about. So I hope all is well and that everyone is having some fun. Thank you all for the letters they help so much. Tell my friend lukas and my cousin Sean to write me a freakin letter. Those punks. But ya I am doing good. Every day is a different challenge, but I am just trying to stay positive and have a good attitude about everything. I know I don´t always but that is what I am working on. Because I know it makes everything better.
So I love you all and hope the holiday was good for you guys!

Love,
Elder Wheeler

P.S. I hear the Utes blew it. What is their record? If somebody has time send me a little update. I have heard about all of the games, but I don´t know the record. So if you can that would be cool. 

Matchy Matchy!!

Yo fam,

What is going on in the snow? If it makes you feel any better it is like ninety degrees outside right now. So this week has flown by just like all of the other ones. How is everybody? I hope all is well, and it looks like the pups are doing what they always do, sleep! Man I wish I could have some of that right now. I never feel like I have enough sleep. 

Matchy Matchy

An explanation of the pictures. I gave my ring to that hermana that is so awesome. I think I said that last week, but ya she bought me a jersey. And then since she was buying me one she bought Elder .. one as well. Because she didn't want him to feel bad. But ya I love it. It is an original is what they call it. It is like the jazz jerseys that they sew the stuff on. Ya the most expensive ones. I felt so bad when she bought it. I mean I just wanted her to have the ctr ring, I didn't need anything in return. I hope she didn't feel obligated to get them, but ya it is very cool. Every time I try to wear it someone else wants to be matchy matchy, so I put something else on. I am not really in to the matchy matchy haha. But anyway it is getting better. I just don't let the little crap bug me. I just act like everything is fine and it usually ends up that it is. It can only get better if I try to make it better. I have figured out that everyone else always looks out for number 1. But I just try to always help when I can, and not let the little things get in the way. So, this week has been a lot better in that case. 

So the story of the lady we found last sunday. Ya she is already ready to be baptized. She still is very excited to get baptized and it is just so fun to go and teach her. Because she always has an open mind, and actually listens to what we say. Every time we go she makes us drink like six cups of juice and plates of cookies haha. I am not complaining it is nice to have a snack. She says that we are already like her grandkids. And we are always welcome in their house whenever we want. So it is so good to be able to see the lord's hand in all of this work. But the member that lives with her has three little girls. Two year old twins and a seven year old. Wow is that house hectic when we go. Those twins are tornadoes and rip up everything and jump on the table, I am sure you can imagine. But they like us too. They call us the manos. Because they can't say hermanos yet, so they just call us manos. And the difference between the word hermano and mano is brother and hands. So they call us the hands hahaha. It is so fun and always brightens up the day when we go to visit them. 


We also have another guy that is preparing to be baptized on that day. And he has come to church with us for the past three weeks. I mean we have had to wake him up one of the times, but ya he loves it. He was almost baptized at this time last year but smoked the day of his baptism so couldn't be. And now we are working with him and he seems to have the desire and loves church and everything. But ya back to last sunday when we had to wake him up and walk him to church. He lives in part of a house. All of the exterior walls are standing, but only one of the rooms still has a roof. And the bathroom has a couple of walls but is not enclosed. Needless to say he doesn't have a whole lot of money. But he recycles stuff in the other part of the house or yard, or i don't know what to call it. So there are just big piles of bottles or plastic and all that jazz. But we went and had to wake him up. The interesting thing about knocking on someones door in Argentina is usually you aren't knocking...you clap your hands. Ya it was weird to me at first as well. But that wasn't working to well. Because he was sleeping, and couldn't here anything. So we knocked on the outside of the part of the house that still has the roof. Because that is where the door used to be and is still there, but is just not used. And he came out and didn't really look like he was going to want to go. But let us come in and we talked him in to getting ready. He got all ready and then was going to sit down and have some matte. But we were like uh it is already after eight and stake conference started at eight. So he went without his matte or morning cigaratte. And we walked the twenty minutes to the stake center in the pooring rain. But ya he loved it and still wants to be baptized from what he is telling us. 

But other than that not too many stories to tell. We had an asado with some of the other elders in the zone at there house, and it was very very good. That is where the picture with Elder Obaldia was taken. 

I have my first Argentina jersey as you can see and it is so freakin cool. Ya all of the native elders throw in freak with their spanish hahaha. But ya I am doing great and hope that everyone at home is as well. Mom how was the doctor? Do you know anything different? Matt-er I hope you have a good birthday, Man! So it is a little early but here is your Happy Birthday from me. Also Happy thanksgiving to you all. I love all of the pics of the pups in the emails, and I would love to see pics of you guys as well. Thanks for all of the support and prayers, let me know if there is anything you want from me. Em I am working on getting pics of the houses and the area. I will try to do that for next week. Anyway Have a good holiday week ereybody. Happy turkey day. Eat some for me, because I won't be able to.

Love,
Elder Wheeler

What some people call a storm.

Hey Fam,

So how is everybody? The weeks always seem to fly, but it also seems to be getting harder and harder as time goes on. I don´t know what it is with this kid, because I really haven´t had a hard time getting along with many people in my life. I am guessing it is just one of those things that I need to figure out. But I have the other elders that live with us that are really good friends and so it gets better when they are there. We just don´t have anything in common and I still don´t understand what he is trying to do..because he never tells me, so I just go with it. Eh,it can only get better from here I am thinking. 

I have a very cool story that happened to us yesterday though. First of all maybe you can see from the last two pics that I am soaking wet. Ya it poured saturday night and all of sunday. And we were just soaked when we got back, because saturday night we had to walk back from the stake center and it is about a half hour walk give or take a little. And when we left there was not a cloud in the sky so I didn´t have a jacket or anything with me. So ya all of our stuff was soaked. And those pictures are of right when we got back. The other is a party thing that we had a member´s house in our ward that invited all of the other missionaries over for lunch on one of our pdays. They are an awesome family. But ya I figured I would just give you a little snipet of what is going on with those.  

Anyway back to the story. So after the siesta we didn´t want to have to go really far away in our area because it was pouring rain. So we planned to visit stuff close to the apartment, so we could be back in time. Or in case it got really bad. Ya I don´t think other people understand the meaning of storm. The missionaries or the people in general.  It was a little windy and just a lot of rain. I was thinking that they would die if they had to live through one of our snow drift storms.. haha but anyway the roads were lakes and we had to try and figure out how to cross them without getting too wet or having cars fly by and drench us. I used my jackets and my top was perfectly dry. My pants and shoes however were soaked but hey that´s life.  We weren´t having any luck and there was a member that had referred us to a lady that we thought we should go visit, but do to the storm didn´t know if we should because it is on one of the opposite edges of our area. Because we didn´t have any luck elsewhere we both felt that we should go and see her.


So, we started to make the long and dreary walk haha. It was a little more than twenty minutes. I am telling you time because I have no idea how to gauge distance here and we walk pretty fast so if that can help you with distance I don´t know. Anyway we were a block or more away from the lady´s house and she was about to walk in to her yard and spotted us she knew it was the missionaries because no one else was out, and I mean no one! She decided to wait for us at the gate and asked where we were headed when we said to your house she just got so excited.  Her friend that lives with her really wanted to hear more about the church. So we went in and her friend was so happy. She is an older lady and very nice... she just loves the church already. We started talking and she basically asked when can I get baptized before we had taught anything. 


We set a date with her to be baptized and she said if you help me I would love to. Yeah, we were feeling pretty blessed at this point. Well I can´t speak for him, but I was thanking heavenly father the whole time we were in that lesson because everything we said she just loved. And she loves to read and so we gave her the book of mormon. She was just so happy and prayed in the first lesson which doesn´t usually happen. We just answered all of her questions and she was so happy to hear all of it.


When I didn´t think it could get any better the member had another friend there that was smoking and was telling us that she was a sinner but joking. She was a very nice lady and was in the other room for the lesson, but before she left she came out and had some questions for us. Apparently she investigated and was taught by the missionaries about two years ago she is also one of the people we have tried to contact before but couldn´t ever find.  We figured out who she was when she told us where she lived. When we said her name and asked if that was her she just started crying. And was just so amazed that the other missionaries had written her name down and that we had found it and tried to find her.


So we taught her a brief little lesson and she asked if we would say a pray with her. So I got to say it. And I don´t know if anyone else has had an experience like this before, but it was a prayer that I was not saying. I was just saying the things that the spirit put into my head. None of it was me and I just felt so strong. It was so cool. Because you always know that the spirit is there, but it was just one of those times that it was so strong. It was just cool. And apart from quitting smoking she has already been taught and wants to be baptized as well. So yeah..we had two very good investigators given to us from heavenly father and in all reality if we wouldn´t have followed that prompting to walk in the rain all the way out there we wouldn´t have found the lady we have been looking for. It was just a really cool night and an awesome experience to see that the Lord´s hand is always in this work. Learned that if you try to do what you think, you aren´t going to get anything done. 


That is my spiritual story for the week. The other days haven´t been too exciting, but that´s okay because that hour that we spent at that house made it all worth it. On saturday we walked over an hour to a part of our area that we don´t get to go to too much and none of the appointments we had set were there. So we had had some dissappointments and it was just good to be reminded of what can happen when you let the Lord help you with the work. 

New rule; now we can´t wear rings or pins or anything like that. Because the silver just attracts the robbers and it isn´t safe. So I had to stop wearing my ctr ring. The lady that washes our clothes every week has been asking how to get a ctr since I got here. Because she has been a member for thirty plus years and has only had the brass ones that turn your finger green. I was already planning on giving it to her because I knew she wanted it but didn´t know when I was going to. But now that we can´t use them any longer, It just worked out. 


So when we had lunch with them (the husband that is a nonmember that we have been working with). It was an Asado. Which is a bbq, but sooooo goooood. haha. I hope you can guess who I am copying there. Anyway I figured I would just give it to her for everything she does. But no she loved it of course, and as soon as I gave it to her she asked me what my shirt size was.. I guess she was already plotting to give me something for it. I didn´t want anything in return for it. I just wanted to give it to her for everything she does for us. So I haven´t gotten it yet but sometime soon I will be getting an argentina jersey is what she says. I hope she forgets and doesn´t do it. But I don´t think she will. 

Anyway it is just so cool to see how selfless all of the members here are. They give us lunch everyday. I know they have other things that they could be spending that money on that they need more, but they feel privileged to give us lunch. I wish everyone were like that. We wouldn´t have any problems if everyone could just look out for others.  It is just so humbiling to see how much everyone does for the missionaries even thought they don´t have much to give. Of course I am very grateful but I just feel like they do too much. I know they will be blessed and I pray everyday that they are. It is just very good to see how the gospel changes people´s lives and how much they do for us. 

But time is running out...
I hope all is well and that everyone has a great week. Pray that I can have patience with this kid please. Because that is what I am trying to do. 

I love you all.
Love,
Elder Wheeler

Missing the snow!

Hey Everybody,

How is everything in the snow? I would be very happy for snow right now. It was 95 or higher yesterday and humid. Bleh. That is the worst for walking around all day. So ya that was fun, but ya know that's life for now. It is only going to get hotter. How were the trick or treaters? Did you get a lot of them. Was it snowing for halloween? Is it snowing a lot? When you send a package will you send pics of the snow. Like in kamastoo or something. Because I am not really going to have it for a while from what I hear. So I want some pics of it if you can. Also on the spices mom, I really don't know, anything that we normally use. 

So it was great to hear from you all. It sounds like you are all doing great. Oh mom I thought of something you could do so that I could write to parker. I don't really know if there is a rule for me because no one has said anything, so I just write to family and steve haha. But if he emailed them, they could forward to my email and I could do the same to you guys for him. Just if he has the rule of not being able to send to others. I don't know if you already had that idea but that would be fastest. 

So Utah has won two in a row now???? Ya buddy! I missed being able to watch it a ton in the mtc just because I was so close to it all. But now all I hear about is boca and river. Which are the two big soccer teams in Argentina. So when either are playing, we don't see anybody in the street and no one answers the door. So if the games are playing we don't get to teach anybody. So from the sounds of dads letter about the other elders in south america, I think it is about the same. When the big teams play you don't get to talk to anybody. But it is good. I am having fun. 

So it was fast sunday here as well, and I know I never got up and bore my testimony there, so I figured what better way to practice my spanish than share my testimony haha. Ya I think they understood me but I was terrified. My bud that I baptized was sitting next to me and said that if I went he would go, so I got up and did it, and then he did not haha. Because it was near the end and then after the next ones the bishop didn't give anytime, he was at the pulpet at closing time. But ya it was good, because I need all of the practice I can get.

We had a family home eveining with one of the members and they all said that I was progressing, since the first week. So that is good, I haven't gotten worse haha. But in all reality I am understanding almost all of what people say. I can follow the whole conversation until they ask me a question and then I get scared and can't understand them. But when there is no pressure I understand the majority of things. I mean obviously I don't understand all of it, because there are so many different ways that people say things. But it is coming slowly but surely. So ya I am feeling ok with my progress. Because I have only been here a month. 

I about killed pheasant face this week. ok not really but I was mad. Because we were sitting there in our planning session and I was just agreeing with what he was saying. And he said I feel like I am the only one giving input and your just sitting here. And I said yep that is exactly what is happening. Because I have been here a month and I don't know what is going on apparently. Because everytime I do suggest something you just change it to what you want anyway. So there is really no point for me to say anything. Ya it was really hard to just forget about it so that we could have the spirit and work. Because when your trainer expects you to do something that he hasn't shown you how to do...it doesn't really make sense to me. So I had to have a lot of patience that day. haha I have to have a lot of patience everyday. Now it's better, because I just don't worry about it. Just forget and move on. It is hard to do, but it has to be done if we want to have success. It is like hiring someone and telling them to go out and work before training them, and then getting mad because they don't know what they are doing. Ya it makes sense if you don't think about it. 

So that was my story for the week. But hey I only have one more transfer with him, so I just need to make the best of it and maybe patience is what I need to learn, so pray that I can have the patience to work with this doodle brain.
Anyway all in all I am only getting a stronger testimony of all of this and having a good time for the most part. So thanks for all of the letters and I hope all is well. Talk to ya next week.

Love,
Elder Wheeler

One month in Argentina!

Hola!

How is everybody doing? It looks like you had a lot of fun at the halloween party. It is weird for it to be halloween already, and not any different then the other days. People know about it here, but it's not a holiday. They know about it because they get all of the tv from america just translated so all of the halloween shows are on right now. Ok it's not all from america, but the majority of it is. But anyway thanks for all of the pics and stuff. It is so fun to be able to see how everyone is doing. I am glad you are having some fun. 

Let's see this week flew by. It's good because I still have another transfer with this yahoo. They cut this transfer short and added a week to the next. So this week is transfers for everyone else. But for the trainers and trainees it doesn't matter because the new program makes it so that you are there for two transfers. But I already hit a month in Argentina! Is that crazy or what? That means I have already been gone for more than three months. I can't believe that. I mean in the moment it sometimes feels like I am going to be here forever. But then when I look back it has flown. So that is cool. 


We are teaching quite a few people. But then there is just not enough time to do everything. We have appointments all throughout the day and just not enough time do everything. So that is hard, but good because I mean we don't have any time to have to worry about. The members are awesome and always tell us that we can come by whenever we need to. So that is comforting. We had a plan to go see one of the counselors in the bishopric for like fifteen or twenty minutes. And it turned out that they had a whole family night planned and so we ended up being there for a lot longer. But it was good because they gave us like three families to go visit. And so it has all been very productive. We just don't have anytime to go visit the new references that we are getting. So That is good. I mean I would much rather it be like this with too much to do rather than not enough. So that has been awesome. 


We had a really cool experience on sunday. Because by saturday night we didn't have anybody committed to come to church. So I mean that sucks because we had been trying all week, but things just weren't working out. And then sunday came and it was the primary program. So there were two guys that had kids in the program, but aren't members. So we had two there. And then we have an investigator that we have invited a ton, but just never seems to have the desire to come. And she had come with her brother in the other ward that meets in our building because his kids were giving talks in their ward. So it is just cool how everything works out for you when you do what your supposed to. It is just amazing to see all of the blessing the lord has in store for you if you just do your part of the work. I mean no one is ever perfect, but when you try it is what matters. So that was very cool.
 
Tell kyle when you see him I am doing exactly what he said. We don't knock doors at all. Because it is just not helpful when there are so many other things that show more results. Especially here because everyone is catholic and when they have a door to stand behind they don't listen to anything that you have to say. So I am just glad that we don't have to do that right now. Because the time takes forever when you aren't teaching people. So I just am happy and content with how everything is working out. I mean the comp is a little difficult sometimes, but that is what happens when you live with someone twentyfour seven. I just need to stay patient and make sure I learn what I need to from him, so I don't have to repeat it later on in my mission. But ya it is going pretty darn good.
 
Mom I don't know what recipes, just simple stuff that doesn't take forever to make. I was thinking the other day if you send a package that maybe you could send some of the flavor packets from ramen noodles. Because noodles are cheap and that is something easy that I could make. So maybe some sauce recipes for pasta... or something. Don't know because they don't have a ton of ingredients down here. And if they do it doesn't taste a whole lot like it should. Like for example soy sauce is not soy sauce. It was something else haha. Because I figured I would try some for my noodles. No bad idea. It was not right. Not a flavor I can really describe other than it wasn't soy sauce haha. So I don't know just whatever you think will work or can do would be great.


Also tell me when you send packages so we can figure out about how long it takes to get to me. Because not only does it have to go through the mail service, but then it sits in the mission office until someone goes to mendoza and can pick all of the stuff up. So when you do please tell me when. And yes if you want to send a christmas package early I can wait to open it. Just try to remember those guidelines in my first letter. I don't know if it was just the old man being ornery because he had to go get them or what. But ya put some letters or something in them too when you send them please and or pictures. Like if you get something from gack or some of my friends like that. I don't know if you could but you should see if cade would write me something too. And letters from you guys. Because letters are always nice to have to go back and read. But whatever you can do will be fine. 

I am still eating my food from my travel kit. I am trying to make it last as long as possible because there is nothing else like it here. I mean there are things that I have found that I like, but at the same time it's just not the same. The milk sitch sucks. But I found some stuff that they make that is yogurt mixed with milk. I had some strawberry stuff last week that was good with cereal, but ya I miss being able to have milk. Because you can't just go get a glass of it and drink it. Anyway it is a good experience to have. I am just glad that it doesn't last forever. haha 

Well that is what I have for this week. I hope all is well at home and you are all having fun. I can't wait to hear about it next week, hopefully it will be a good one for you guys as well. Because I am banking on it being a good one for me haha.  Anyway I love you all and thanks for everything.

Love,
Elder Wheeler

"drumroll...........We had two baptisms this past weekend!"

Hey fam,

How is everybody? I don't really know, because some dingleberry made me come do email at 11 in the morning here so it is like 8 there. So nobody has had a chance to write yet. But ya so I will just give you the update, and hope that I get another chance later on in the day to hear from you. So still send them if you were planning on writing today.


But guess what???? drumroll............We had two baptisms this past weekend. You might have already seen from the pictures, but ya. It was so fun. The other elder in the picture, is one of the zone leaders that lives with us, and was in our area before us. He taught these two kids as well, and the girl asked him to baptize her. And the kid asked me to baptize him. So that was really cool. I had to make sure I did it all right, because it was in spanish haha. But it was a great experience. The two kids mom is a member, but didn't want them to get baptized until they had a testimony. So They have been being taught by the missionaries for a year and a half now. And just waiting for her to say yes. I am just thankful that we had the opportunity to be here when she decided to say yes and they wanted to be baptized. The kid that I baptized was very nervous and threw up a few times before. That is why he isn't very excited in the pictures haha. But after it was all done he was very excited and was feeling a lot better. So since last week that is the big news. It was so cool! I mean obviously this is hard work, but those are the things that make it worth it. 

I got an email from Forrest Lucas who if you don't know got his mission call to mexico. Isn't that cool? He is just a good kid and I am so happy for him. So if you see him, tell him hi for me or something. I am just really excited for him. 

This week other than the weekend was pretty uneventful. Because that was our focus all week. So we didn't have a lot of time to do anything else. Oh wait something else. We had a family night with one of the hermanas that gives us lunch every week. Because her husband is not a member. She has been a member for like 20 + years. And has been feeding the missionaries forever. So he has had a lot of missionaries come through his house. He is the nicest guy. And I don't know what is stopping him. He has read the book of mormon already, so we didn't really know what to have him do to get an answer. But after we asked him he straight up said that he has never asked to know if it is true. He knows more about the church than I do I'm sure. Because his wife has been an institute teacher and all that. But he commited to read and pray to know if it is true. So it is just cool to be able to work with the members. Because that is where the success comes from. We can find people on the street, but in all reality, the success comes from the members help. It is just so fun. The time is moving pretty quickly. I can't believe I have been here for so long already, but at the same time it feels like forever haha. But everything is good and I hope that all is well at home as well. 

Umm there really isn't a whole lot to tell you because I haven't heard from you guys yet. 

Dad How was the Birthday? I hope it was good for you because I had my first baptism here on it.haha. When is the pumpkin carving party? Are you guys having one this year? What new is going on with you guys? 

Sorry the letter is short, but hopefully I can come back later and write more when I here from you guys. I love you all and hope all is well.

Love,
Elder Wheeler

Part two:


I got all of your letters and time to read them. Someone had to go to mendoza with the other district leaders and the zone leaders, so I am in a trio for a little bit. Both of the kids I am with are really cool, and it is just nice to have a break. But after they got on the bus, we all had the same experience of having to go in the morning and not having any letters. So that was good. 


Rach the little girl in the pic is the sister of the two that got baptized, but a different dad. She is a monster though. From the picture I am sure she looks cute, but it´s kind of like topey, she never stops, and she always yells. haha You gotta love the kids. 


Eh it´s not really that people don´t like americans, it´s more that they are all catholic. Because as soon as they find out that your american they have twenty different things to ask you about. But the first thing people say as soon as you walk up is that they are catholic, hoping that you won´t talk to them. But in all reality, this just gives us a good place to start.


And the bed sitch. Well let´s just say they don´t make them for anyone that has any height at all. But Elder Obaldia which is the short kid from panama, he almost looks black, I don´t know if I sent pics of him. But he switched me. So I don´t have to be squished in the bottom of a already too short bunkbed. Not that his bed was any longer, but I don´t have a bed right above me, that you can barely roll over under. So ya my feet hang off the end. It is hard to get a good nights sleep. 


And mom don´t worry about the late letters I got to read them all, and it is not a problem. Someone just needs to tell me what is going on before we are already at places. Because all of this could have been avoided if he would just tell me things. Because let´s just say he isn´t the best at planning out the day. But oh well. Thanks for the letters they were awesome and I love you all and hope you have a good week!