Spanish Only

Hey Fam,

Well this week has been great! We had some interesting experiences. So as you know I was made a trainer, so I am now in an apartment of 3 natives. So I only get to speak spanish now. So if my english is spelled wrong that is why, because I haven`t spoken anything but spanish for a while. But anyway they had some protests in Buenos Aires on tuesday, so the airplanes weren`t taking off and so my comp didn`t get in on time. He didn`t get in until wednesday and so I spent wednesday with the other two elders that live with us. It was fun though.

I was a little nervous to find out who I was training because I new that they were all going to be natives. My comp is Elder Segovia he is from Ecuador. He is a really cool kid and is a convert of three years. But we have gotten along just fine so far. I don`t see it being a problem I think we will be good. But ya training someone is interesting. I will learn a lot from this I am sure. I have already started to learn a ton.

So apart from that on thursday during the training the Rastelli family did the lunch as they always do.(They always ask how you guys are doing, so they said to say hi mom and dad) But they made turkey. OH MAN IT WAS SO GOOD! I haven`t had turkey since thanksgiving two years ago, so ya I was really excited. It tasted like home. We had turkey, mashed taters and gravy, homemade rolls, and the best of all pumpkin pie. It was amazing. I was in heaven with all of the wonderful food that was there. So the greatest part was right after lunch that we got our comps and my comp was like so where are you from. And I told him Utah.. thinking that he was already expecting like everyone always says. And he was like no seriously your not from the states, where are you from? So that was super cool. Because thankfully I don`t have a thick english accent when I speak. That was just really cool for me and I was pretty happy to hear it. 

We have been just following the plan that they have for us. It is really cool because you don`t have to come up with anything. The plan has everything that you need to know as a trainer and also everything that the new missionary needs to know to do good. They have challenges every week. So the first week was for the new missionary to set a baptismal date. It is a really good thing to do, but unfortunately we didn`t have a chance to do it. So we are going to try and keep it going this week. It is really cool to be in this position and to be trusted in the way that I am. I just want to do my best so that I can help Elder Segovia figure all of this out. Thankfully he just helps me teach. I didn`t have to wait for him to learn the language or anything so I am trying to help him in the other things that I can. But ya it is really good. 

The ward just continues to get better and better. I mean there are still problems like everywhere, but this week we saw a ton of people there. Last week we had 40ish people there which is down because we are usually a lot higher and then this week we had 101 and some families that we had been visiting had come. So that was super rewarding to see them in the chapel. And everyone was just a lot more happier because when there are more people in church, the members are just happier. So ya that was really cool. We are seeing the fruits of our work. I mean obviously it is not just us doing this, but it is just cool to see that people are actually listening to us and that they really mean it when they say they are going to come. There is one family that hasn`t been the whole time I have been here and yesterday the entire family came, even the kid that went partying the night before. It was amazing and also another lady that has told us a million times that she isn`t going to come and she showed up as well. So ya it was just a great sunday!

That is all for now that I can think of. I put up my stocking from last year in my study room because that is the only decoration that I have so far. So I am going to see what I can find today to get to put a little christmas into the apartment. I cannot believe that we are almost into december already. Can you believe that it is almost time to call again already. Because I feel like we were just talking a month ago. It doesn`t seem like it has already been six months well a little bit more. I am just seeing the time fly by. And I feel like now it will be going even faster. Because the more responsibility that you have the faster the time goes by. Training and being a district leader at the same time is sometimes difficult, but it is very rewarding at the same time.  I get to talk to the other missionaries every night and it is just really fun because that is how we become friends. I am really content with my time here and I hope to do even better in the time to come. 

Well I love you all and thank you for the support and prayers always it is more helpful than you know. So keep it going please. I love you all and we shall talk next week!

Love,

Elder Wheeler

Cake and cake and cake and cake!

Well fam,

How is everybody doing? Slow week for the letters it seems like haha. But sounds like most are doing pretty good. It is amazing that you are already entering into snow again. Because we are to the point of getting hard to sleep in the heat. It is already in the 90´s heading to the hundreds I believe. It is too hot for me though. I am really a fan of the cold not the heat, but what are ya gonna do. We have one fan for the four of us and so we go out into the living area with our mattresses and put the fan next to the sliding door. We are on the second floor and so we open the sliding door to the balcony and just sleep right there on the floor. It is the only way to get a little sleep. Because in the rooms it is just an oven. But ya we can at least sleep for a bit like that. 

So this weekend we have eaten very good! We had an asado with our recent convert Martìn on Saturday and his family. It was really good meat and I was just stuffed leaving there. And then it was Elder Steeves`s birthday yesterday so I decided to make him some breakfast. I experimented and it turned out good. We had some flour that was apple flavored and so I used that and cut up apples and made some pancakes. He said they were good so that is what counts. And then a smoothie. We always have smoothies in the morning. Because they sell yogurt here like milk. It is liquid and so we use that with bananas and some type of cookie. It is pretty good! But ya so then after that we had another asado after church yesterday. It was with the family of the little boy Gabriel that we baptized. And they made him a birthday cake and got him a jersey and stuff! It was really cool. Because they don`t have very much money but they are so willing to always share. The generosity of the people here is incredible. And so we had some cake there and then we went to some other members houses because they invited us to come visit. And at the next two houses we also had cake so I had like six pieces of cake yesterday. I didn`t even want to eat today because I had had so much food. And then after we got back to the  apartment we had planned with the other two elders in the place to make food for him. So they had everything ready when we got there and so we sat down and had a dinner too. It was incredible the amount of food I fit inside of me yesterday... it was also really weird eating dinner. I have gotten used to just eating something small for breakfast and then a huge lunch and then just nothing else the rest of the day. It is weird how your body adapts to different eating schedules and that you just don`t have hunger after you train your body with that type. 

So ya it was a good weekend to finish everything off. We had a lot of fun and it was a pretty successful week so that was good as well. We work really good together so I am sad that transfers are coming in two weeks. Because neither of us want to leave this area for the holidays. Because this next transfer is where we will be for christmas. And we have already been invited by like five different families to spend christmas with them, so I am sad because one of us probably won`t get to enjoy it. Oh well that is the life of the mission. "Come what may and love it!" - Joseph B. Worthlin. 

So ya that was my adventure for the week. It was a great week and we met a lot of good new people just amazing how many people you meet as a missionary and how many friends you make. I will be really sad when I have to leave this area. Just great members and tons of potential. Almost all of our recent converts except for one are coming and a like 10 of the less active families that we have been working with have been coming off and on as well. Atleast starting again so that is great. Such a cool thing to see when those you work with start showing up and filling up the benches on Sunday. 

I love being a missionary and know that it is where I am supposed to be! and what I am supposed to be doing!

I love you all and thank you for your support. Hope you have a great week and we shall be chatting with you next week!

Love,

Elder Wheeler

P.S. In like two or three months I will having to tell them if you are coming to pick me up or not. I know it was talked about a little but I just wanted to know what your thinking so if you can let me know.

Blonde hair and Chacos

Well Fam,

It has been a great week. I am really loving my area. There are always problems with people, our ward has a real problem keeping priesthood holders active. There are so many people that get baptized and then fall away in a short period after. But I have some great news about Martin who we just baptized. On Sunday he was passing the sacrament! It is so cool to be able to see someone that you had the chance to help get to where they are and be able to use the priesthood. Just a great feeling to have because there are a bunch of others that are falling away.

It is so apparent that satan is attacking the family....Because there are so many that are getting torn apart and that don`t want to come back to church. There are wonderful feelings and also those of seeing people turn away from things that they know will help them, they just don`t want to go through the sacrifices to get the good. Definitely happy and sad all at the same time.

This Sunday there was a kid and his wife in the back of the chapel and she was blonde hair and blue eyed so they stuck out a bit. And as soon as we walked in they both looked over and were pointing.  I knew instantly that they were not from there. Then I looked closer and the kid was wearing  chacos so then I was certain that he was not from there haha. It turns out he served his mission here and he and his wife came back to visit. It was the second time he had come back since his mission in 2006 or something like that. It was really cool to just talk to someone in english. He gave us some peanut m & m´s so that was great as well. But ya just fun to be able to talk for a bit. 

The week was just full of work. Not much of anything different Just trying to work hard always. Oh yes something different, the sun is just blazing down here. During the siesta when no one is outside and are all in sleeping, the hours of like 3-5, yes the hottest time of the day we just walk around and get baked haha. It is just miserable sometimes to be out in those times, but it makes you so much more thankful when you can get into a house. So ya it is heating up and will only get hotter from here on out. I don`t want ot have the heat again already, it seems like it was just here. Not enough time to cool off. It makes me thankful for being from Utah because I get lots of time to cool down from the heat. Also you aren`t outside the whole day at home in the sun so that makes a difference. But I just do not enjoy the heat right now.

But other than that it has been a great week. We are just trying to help more people get to the point of baptism. It is quite a journey but the most rewarding thing to see as a missionary when someone gets to the point of wanting to get baptized. I love it all.

Well everyone I thank you all for the prayers and the support always. I am doing amazing and hope you are too. Love you all tons.

Love,

Elder Wheeler

We'll never escape the tree planting and rock picking no matter where we go!

Well Fam,

How is everybody this week? I am doing good now. I got sick last monday and had kind of a crappy week in that aspect. We left everyday and worked because neither of us wanted to stay in the apartment. Elder Steeves was sick as well for a day or two, but we just worked through it and now we are both better. I had a stomache virus and a cold virus says Elder Ence the Nurse, but I got through it all and I am good now. 

Last monday after writing we went back to the apartment and just slept for the rest of p day and then we went out to work like we were supposed to and then neither of us felt good and so we went to these members house that the pictures attatched are of. And they were fixing us better haha. No they were just taking care of us so it was cool. 

Yesterday for lunch we went to their house to eat and the other two elders that live with us were invited and also Elder Sheridan (my mtc comp. but because he was one of the Elders that found this family when he was here getting trained) and his comp from the offices Elder Dugger. So ya it was really fun, I love getting to see them when I can. Elder Sheridan is like my best bud now and we just have a blast.  Elder Dugger was the accountant while I was there so I know him as well and we just had a fun time. They are just a great family that always takes care of us so it is nice to have. We had an asado with them and it was really good. They invited their sister and her husband that aren`t members because they really like Elder Giacomelli who taught them before and so they were there. The husband Cristian was cooking the asado and did a good job. So we enjoyed some good food and even better company. 

They have these trees down here that have little seeds all over in them like little bouncy balls. So after the asado, as you can imagine it always turns into a war when someone starts throwing them, we had a little seed fight.

 I was getting in trouble for trying to eat anything that I wasn`t supposed to by Yesica who is the member in the pics. She was telling me that I couldn`t eat anything. But then I got to eat by the end so that was good. No but they are really fun to be with and just another great family that I have met being here. It is like having people here that make you feel like family and it is just nice to be with them!

On saturday we had the worldwide service project. So get this, you want to know what we had to do for it. Alright it might sound familiar, but we show up and there is a dirt field full of rocks. And not just like soft dirt, rock hard dirt as well, and they say ya we want all of these rocks moved off of the field, but we don`t have any tools to do it so you are just going to have to be creative. So yes we got to pick rocks all morning. Such a fun activity. And then after we got to plant some trees. If that doesn`t sound like working in Kamas I don`t know what does. It was good though. It was for a school that they were re doing up in a neighborhood that is really poor. We were having fun eventhough the tasks kinda weren`t the most fun. Dad I got your usual saturday sunburn. The forearms and the neck.  I am still feeling the effects of the shirt rubbing the neck right were it is burnt. Thankfully there are no Elaines here to give ya a nice smack.

Well it has been a great week as always. We had a better finish though. It beats being sick. 

To explain the pics real quick.. there are the Elders with Sebastian and Francesco the little guy and then Yesica and Guadalupe the cute little girl. She is my little buddy. They call her Guada for short and she has quite the little tude. 

Anyway fam thanks for everything you do I love the letters and the chance to hear from you every week. I love you all and hope you have a great week.

Love,

Elder Wheeler

 

Mt. Dew Surprise!

Hey Fam,

So how has everyone been? I have been really good as always. We had the temple rededication of the Buenos Aires temple yesterday so that was pretty cool to be a part of. We went to the early session because we had a recent convert that wanted us to go with her. So we had to go early to her house and go with her on the bus. They had to go in shifts because they have kids and the kids couldn`t go. So she was going to the early one with us and then her husband was going to the next one after we got back. We walked up there in the dark because it was still super early. And everyone was getting home from their parties at that time so everyone was screaming stuff at us as they drove past. Just don`t have anything better to do than scream at a couple of missionaries.

The session was really good... President Eyring did the dedication. And then Elder Christopherson did the spanish part. I didn`t know that he spoke spanish but it was really cool and he did a really good job. He was directing the meeting because he was the only one out of the three that spoke spanish. Elder Ballard was also there. 

President Eyring`s translator was Elder Aguero who came and did a presentation for the elders about joseph smith. So I got to meet him while he was here because I was in the offices at the time and  that was cool to know who the translator was. It was a really cool experience to see it all done in spanish. I mean half was done in english because the two apostles were speaking in english to be translated so you would have understood most of it even if you didn`t know spanish. 

Not such a good idea to go to the early session because I was really tired and I was trying not to fall asleep the whole time. After we took Yesica back home to switch with her husband but he was not feeling too hot because the night before he had hit his head really hard at work and had gotten stitches and stuff so he was hurting too bad to be able to go to the other session.

Then we had a lunch appointment with the bishop. They were telling us to just stay at their house to eat instead of going to the bishops, but we went anyway. It was like a 45 minute walk to his house. As we were about to get there. We get a message on the phone that the bishop`s wife is sick so they weren`t going to be able to give us lunch. So I called Sebastian back up and said, "well they just cancelled on us is the invitation still open?" And being the great people they are they said, "ya get up here right now." So we went up to eat with them. It was nice to have the back up plan because our first didn`t work out at all just made us more hungry because we had to walk so far. But ya it was good. 

Jonathan Rastelli was at the temple dedication and he brought my surprises for me. It was really cool to get all that stuff. Thank you so much for sending that. They were saying that they had to disperse the Mountain Dews throughout the luggage haha. I hope it wasn`t too much trouble for them, but of course they were fine to bring it.  I put my cardigan right on because it was also super cool. I love it, and it being from h&m doesn`t hurt. 

But really thank you for all of the treats and clothes. Just what I needed. I shared a drink with my comp last night and so we were taking pics for a little bit..those are the pic I have attatched. Also of our baptism with Gabriel...then the other one is just of one of our study sessions in the morning. I don`t remember why I took the pic I think I just got bored or something so there is another one for you to enjoy. It tasted just like home to be drinking that again. It was great. So really thanks a million for that!

Well I think that is all that I have for stories this week. It wasn`t too different except for the dedication. But I love you all and hope that you have another great week! I was laughing at some gee pics of him in the boat and also of him tipping dad in the boat. haha Just acting like a gee bear. Well until next week everyone.

Love,

Elder Wheeler

Meeting the Rastelli's

Hey fam,

How is everybody doing this week? I am happy mom that you got to meet the Rastelli`s they are such a great family. And they all speak english very well no? I am amazed at how well they all speak the kids especially. Jonathan the youngest that just got home learned from music and tv and has a huge vocabulary and its just really cool. I am glad you got to meet them and chat. Was the whole fam there or just the parents? 

Well this week has been a little easier. I have been getting into the flow of things as a district leader and my companion is a cool kid so that is good. He is really helpful about calling all of the other people when we have to set stuff up if I am verifying..which has been good. The members in this area are just great. We have a family that recently got baptized I don`t know if I told about them last time but they are a younger couple and they have two little ones.  I had an instant connection with them because Elder Sheridan was their first missionary who was my mtc comp. So since I knew him I was instantly their best friend haha. It is great to have connections.We get to see them quite a bit because we have a standing appointment on saturdays to go re teach them the lessons that the other missionaries didn`t do and she comes to english class so it is nice to be in an area and instantly love the people and feel it back. I have always loved the people, but the return feeling isn`t always there. Here it has been great.

We are in a huge neighborhood, supposedly the biggest neighborhood in Latin America so that is cool. I don`t know how true that is because more times than not the claim to fame is false, but it is really big and the majority aren`t active This is the good thing about us though we can help the ward to bring some of those members back. In the mean time find the people that they have around them. For example, those that have spouses not baptized and also just friends.  There is so much potential here it is incredible.

I have had so many great experiences so far and learning how to be district leader has been interesting. I think just doing it is the only way that you can learn how to fully do something. So that is what I have been trying to do just learn how to do everything that I need to do and help the missionaries that I am in charge of the most that I can. It has been pretty fun so far just getting to know more missionaries and just getting to work with them on a more personal level. I worked with tons of them in the office, but it wasn`t on a personal level at all. It was calling them to tell them to send stuff in always. I am just happy where I am. We have transfers this week because these are when the real transfers are, but we are both staying in the area so that is good. We are going to be able to figure out how to take advantage of all of the potential and help this ward grow. I know we will have to be working hard to get everything done that we want to this transfer. It will be a great time and I am loving life. Thanks for all of the letters(emails) and all of the support. I LOVE YOU ALL and hope that you are all doing great as well.

Until next week,

Elder Wheeler

P.S. I have some requests from some members if possible the next package you send. I need some jolley ranchers and some marshmellows (small ones I think), and a hawaiian shirt (adult large I would guess) haha. If you can`t don`t worry about it but just things that would be fun to give. They are all for great people that I have met along the way and I would love to be able to get them for them so if possible in a package I would love that. Also I would like more pictures if you have time... like printed ones becuase the email ones are great for me, but I want to show people pics and I can`t really print them off too much. 

DL in Estanzuela

Hey Everybody,

Well there have been some huge changes this week. I have left the offices. It has been a long time coming about seven months haha. But it has been a great time. I am also very excited to be out right now and having the opportunity to serve the people as well as the other missionaries. As you have heard I am now a district leader so I am in charge of a few peoples now. I have two elders that live with us that are both from buenos aires and also two sisters in my district so it is interesting. I am now in the area of Estanzuela, that is what it is called. And I got here last wednesday and already the members are just so great. We have a great ward mission leader that actually served the mission here like two years ago. He was the first person yet that has known where Kamas was. And you want to know why. It is because he knew Bill while he was here. He said he was his Zone leader and that he had the most fun with him while he was here. So we were talking all about that. It is just so cool to have that connection. He is a really cool guy. If you see Bill ask him if he knew Elder Gonzalez from Chile. First name Andres I think it is. So that was just really cool to be able to instantly have an in with the ward mission leader. And then the rest of the members are just great. There are some recent converts that Elder Sheridan my mtc comp found when he was getting trained here so that was also cool. So ya I just was supposed to come to this area to get to know some of these cool people and hopefully help some more to come to know this gospel.  It has just been a great week. 

I mean it is for sure hard to learn how to be a district leader, but it is fun. I get to talk to all of the missionaries about their areas every night and get to know their investigators. So it has been awesome to get to do that. But I am so much more tired now...we are up doing stuff making sure everyone is good and ready. I have just been exhausted all week long. But it has been so much fun...I love my area and they have already baptized four in this area for this month so we met the goal before I got here and there are a ton more people that we are finding that are going to be ready to be baptized soon so it is just great and I am enjoying my time so much. 

How is the weather there? It is starting to warm up down here I think. We have some cold days, but for the most part it is pretty warm. So I think the cold is pretty well done, well there wasn´t any cold to begin with. These people would die in utah. Nobody understands what 7 months of winter means

. 

Alright mom to answer your questions I am now out of the offices yes. But not by much. The area I am in, I can see my old one from up on the hill. I look over and can see were I just was. So I am like fifteen minutes from the offices by bus or twenty to thirty walking. Still in the same department of the city, but it is a good area. The members take very good care of us. And now p day is back to monday..so the letters will be back to mondays.

Anyway thanks for everything, I am doing great, just loving my new area and being too busy to think about anything else. But I love you all and hope to hear from you soon. Hope you all have a great week and that you´re having some fun still. 

Love your favorite Elder,

Elder Wheeler

P.S. Tell josh Congrats from me and also give cory a hug for me because he is home this week too. Tell everybody hi for me as well. 

New pics

Missionary Moms!

Hey Fam,

How is everybody doing? We have had a great week here and just trying to make the best of the time that we have been given. It is great to be so close to President and his family. Tomorrow we get to go over for dinner and have some fun with them, so that will be great. I am really excited for that and the opportunity to be able to do stuff like this. It has been great so far and I can´t wait to experience all that this mission has left to offer me. It is crazy to think of how much I have grown so far and how much my testimony has grown from all of these things and that I am only half way so I will only be able to gain more in this next time that I have. I love being here so much and everything that I have learned I know is for my benefit and that i couldn´t have learned anywhere else. So that is a comforting thought, to know that I am here where I am supposed to be at this time in my life. 

So yesterday we had the opportunity to go to a families house that we have been trying to help get reactivated. And they invited us to eat lunch so we asked for permission because we can´t just leave the offices without. And then after we had a service project to help them. We ended up moving the entertainment center and the fridge. So that we could rewire the whole house. The wires are all outside of the wall and have little plastic covers as they run along the walls. So that is the method they use. But I was amazed at how much I knew how to do by just watching dad do stuff at home. We were just re-wiring and it was just natural to do the stuff. There wasn´t anything different to me because it wasn´t anything I hadn´t seen dad do before. So we helped him move the outlet to the other side of the house and we put the fridge over there as well so they could have it arranged the way they wanted. Also we had to move the switch to the fan on that side. So it was a lot of moving wires, but it was good to be able to get to know them better and be able to give service for once. Because it is almost never that we are able to do that. But as we were talking he was telling me all about his coin collections that he has so he said next time we go over he will show me what he has. But he says he has coins from all over the world. It will be really cool to see it. And he was telling me what ones I should get from here to take home and which ones are good and not. So that was really fun to have something like that in common. 

Other than that it has been a pretty normal week. Well except for the fact that an Elder´s Parents came to get him this week and the mom of Elder Passantino to me was like, is your mom on missionary moms. And I was like, well I think so. So she was told me that my mom told her to give me a big hug haha. But obviously mom she could not. Against the rules, but she was really nice and it was cool to hear that. Because then everyone was asking what is missionary moms, I think that is what it is called. But ya then they took a picture and were going to send it to you. So I hope you get that. I am standing right next to their son, I think he is on my left in the picture and then I don´t know where everyone else was standing. But it was really cool to meet them and they brought jello and koolaid and seasonings and stuff to give us all. As well as a big bag of reese´s so those are just great. Something that Argentina has yet to replicate. But it was fun to meet them and have that connection that they talked with my mom. Crazy how things workout but it is great. 

I am so thankful for everything that I have been given, for all of the wonderful opportunities that I have had so far and will continue to have in my life. It will only get better from here. And it has been pretty great so far so I am excited to see what comes next. I am so thankful for all of you and the wonderful family that you are. So thanks for everything that you do for me and all of the things that you send me. I love you all and hope you have a great week this week. Hope to hear from you all next week. 

Love,

Elder Wheeler

Too old to change

Hey Fam, 

How is everybody this week? It has been a great week for me this week. We have had some pretty cool experiences. We went to this older guys house. His name is Mario. He has always been so nice and just accepting of us. But from the beginning he has told us that he is too old to change and that we weren´t going to be able to change him. So we just keep visiting him and this week everything changed. We went by him and he was asking us if there is life after this one. And we told him that there definitely was. And then he told us that he was going to be changing religions and quick. So then when we went back, he was talking to us for a minute and he said he wants to come to church, but he wants to be sober of everything for two days before going so that he can understand everything and really feel what he wants. He has lost lots of family. He has lost his wife and two of his children so he is really sad and lonely. But he wants to change and be able to achieve that eternal life. He said that we have brought him a peace inside and outside that he has never felt before and so it was just really cool, because he is so receptive to what we want to tell him. Just a cool experience that we have had this week. 

So President Rastelli who is in the mission presidency, his family is all in the states right now visiting. Because their oldest son graduated from byu idaho and so Adriana the mom went up a week or so ago to see it and then Jonathan and Yamina (y said like an english j) just went up. So I gave them the address to come visit if they want. Because they were saying if there was something that you wanted to send to me that they would bring it back for me. So maybe a mountain dew, wink wink. They will be coming back the 30th of august. So if you want to send something with them let me know and I will let President Rastelli know because they asked me if I wanted to. So it wasn´t something like it would be a pain to do. So let me know. But ya the kids and when I say kids I mean adults, because they are all in their twenties, but they all speak perfect english so I hope you have a chance to talk with them because they are an awesome family.

Well that is all for this week. I hope that everyone is doing well and that you had a good holiday weekend. I have officially hit a year since leaving. The twenty seventh was my year mark. So we are on the down hill side. I can´t believe that it has been a year since I have seen you all (in person atleast). But it has been great so far and it will be great for the rest I am sure. I can´t wait to get back out into a normal area and not have to worry about being in the offices. It has been too long I feel. I know I will miss it, but I am just ready to get out and work all day everyday outside. By the time I leave here it will be the end of winter and into spring. So I will have spent most of summer and winter in the offices. It has been a long good run, but I am glad it is my turn to get out. Anyway I love you all and hope all is well in everything.

Until next week,

Elder Wheeler

We got some grape juice. It is pure grape juice, don't worry not wine haha. But it looks like it. It has a really strong flavor and is just really good but you wouldn't be able to drink it like a normal juice. It is too strong so you have just little bits. I mean it sounds a lot like wine and has kind of the same smell, but it is good and has no alcohol so that is the reason I can drink it right...haha. But for real it was good and cool to have a bottle now.

1 year this month!!

Hey fam,

So tis been a great week this week. We had a baptism this past sunday...It was great I had the chance to baptize her so it was really fun. I was a little dissappointed in the ward because they didn´t stay to support. We had the good ones stay but the others just peaced on us as soon as church was over. And so it was just a challenge. Because there have been two other baptismal services that the other elders have done that are in the area full time. Because we have the office so we are only there from 4:30 on. And those have just been full of people. And then when we have one nobody shows up. We did it on sunday afternoon because the bishop only wants to have them then even though the prophets have said that saturday and then a sunday confirmation is the way we are supposed to do it. So we did it the way he wanted so more people could be there, but in all reality he didn´t even show up. Nor were any of the other bishopric members. So it was just a big problem. But thankfully she got baptized and she will have her confirmation tomorrow.

That is all that is important but just frustrating that we are bringing people in and nobody can stay for five minutes later because it is fast sunday and they are hungry. Seems a bit backwards that we are fasting and then can´t stay to be uplifted by the spirit for a baptismal service because they are hungry. Just is a little frustrating that you can see the problems that the ward is having and then all of the members complain that nobody is coming anymore. But they aren´t supporting the new people coming so they don´t even feel welcome, it is just hard. 

But now I will explain a little about the pics. There on the first one from the left Elder Jacobs who is the assistant heading home in a week and a half. Then me of course and next Elder Baker the Canadian who has a half a transfer left after this one ends. And then Elder Alberro. These are from last week when we were playing cards up on the roof of the apartment. It is a really pretty area to just go up and sit and relax. But this week it was just freezing so we weren´t doing much of that. The past two weeks haven´t been very cold, but this week has been extra cold so it has been interesting. It actually feels somewhat like winter. Which reminds me I saw snow in Argentina for the first time this week. So that was cool and then the other pictures was us eating tacos in a beg. Yes beg because it is the canadian pronunciation. So they are really good and we had them again this week. But Elder Baker says that they do them when they are camping because they are really easy and just good. So here´s what ya do. You cook up your taco meat with the seasoning and then cut up some onions, tomatoes, and lettuce. And then you crush the bag of doritos up and then you cut it the long way open so it is more open and shallower. And then you just poor it all in there with the chips and then poor ranch and guacomoli on top. And then you mix it all up and you just have a great meal. I wouldn´t suggest doing the big bags like we did. Because you feel very sick by the end of eating them, but it is really good and something easy that you can do. So that was fun, but anyway then there is one of the church plaque out front. It was a really cool picture so I figured I would share because I really liked it. 

So not too much has happened this week. We had a pretty cool zone conference this week with a small zone. Because the offices aren´t really in a zone so we just get thrown in with one of the smaller ones that is close. But it was really good. It was all about obedience. And that is always something that we can all improve on so it helps so that everybody gets back on track and just focused on the purpose of being here. I have tried to be focused on it this whole time and the time has just passed me by. I am almost at a year already which will be super weird I remember everyone else saying that they were about to a year and just thinking that was forever away and that I would never get there. But I am there and I will be soon past before we know it. I just love being here and just being able to be apart of all of the blessings that comes with being able to be a missionary. Everything is going great and I am loving my time here. So thank you all for the support and prayers they all help and I deeply thank all of you for that!

If there is anything that I need to be praying for, for you guys please let me know so that I can keep them in mind. Thanks a million for everything and have a great week. 

Love, 

Elder Wheeler

P.S. Mom I have been trying to think of a story that you could use for your lesson tomorrow. And I think I came up with one. It happened last night. So we were out and just following what we had planned and passed by one of the members that we are trying to get back to church. And she had to leave so we were walking down the hill with her and her baby in the stroller and she says well this way is terrible way to go for the stroller. I always go the other way but I don´t know why I did that. And then we ran into the other member that we were trying to get in contact with for the whole night to be able to go out with. And he was just walking up the hill that exact way to head home from the store with a huge bag of dog food for his big golden retriever. Whose name is tiago short for santiago or the english james, so I was playing with him. But anyway we went up to his house to drink some hot chocolate because it was so cold out. And then we went down to visit some other people with him. But the first wasn´t home and then the second who was our plan wasn´t either. But my companion had the impression that we should go up to the next floor of the place we were at because there was a guy we had talked to that we hadn´t been able to find so we did. And then he wasn´t to sure on letting us in, but the member being a normal guy just talked to him for a sec and then we got in and had a great lesson. The investigator was asking us if he could have a couple days to read the pamphlet and that if it would be trouble to come back and talk some more after he has a chance to read. So ya exactly what we were going to ask him. But it just shows that the lord is preparing the people and that the members along with the missionaries are a huge part of the work. Nobody can do it alone. So it was just a great blessing to be able to have him there and that he could help us get in the house. But ya it was a great so maybe if you want you can use that because in all reality if we hadn´t been being guided by the spirit we wouldn´t have had any success that night. Among other blessings we saw that was one of the smalle miracles that we had just last night. And missionary work is full of them, but we won´t see them unless we go out and do the work to bring people unto the knowledge of all of the wonderful things we have in our lives. Anyway hoped this helps and good luck tomorrow on your lesson! Love ya

Happy Birthday MOM!

Hey Fam,

Well first off before I forget Happy Birthday to the best mom ever on friday. Mom I hope you have a great day for your special one because you deserve it. Enjoy some good food for me. And do something fun.

 

So this week has just been a normal one. Nothing exciting to write about this week. We have just been working hard. Our baptism that we had set up for last sunday didn´t go through, but she is a little old lady named cecilia and wants to get baptized this sunday. So that should be really fun. She also asked me to baptize her so that will also be really fun. I just hope she isn´t sick and can´t do it again like this last week. Because it is hard to get everything ready and find out that the person can´t do it. So that was a little hard, but it will be good when she can actually do it. I am really happy to be in this work and be able to help people change their lives. There is no better feeling than to be able to see the changes that people make in their lives and be there to help them through it. 

Hi my name is Elder Wheeler. I am a boss but you proabably already knew that. So In the offices, I am basically the coolest kid to hit this scene. My companions love me, President Avila loves me, but the assistants to Pte Avila love me more than anyone. For real. Family... I am a lovable kid. What can I say? Well that was a little excerpt from Elder Jacobs, I didn´t write any of that paragraph just so you know. But he went through all the work to get it into my email so I guess I won´t delete it. But ya I am doing great here. I am just loving life, and trying to get better every day. It is a hard process for sure, but one that is so worth it. I can´t imagine my life without this in it. It has been the greatest time so far in my life, and I am just trying to enjoy it the best I can, because I know that it won´t last forever. 

And so as I sit here at my computer trying to come up with something to write Elder Alberro probably one of my closest friends here, tells me to tell you all hi. So here is the hi from him. We are connected through our phones in our offices so we can still talk while we are working because we all have separate offices. So we stay in contact haha. No but it is fun I love it here. It is just hard sometimes because you don´t want to be stuck inside all day and not be able to be out talking to people. Because those are the times that you are truly happy. When you are out just talking to people and doing what you have been called to do! 

Anyway that is all I have for this week. I hope you all are doing well and have a great holiday this week. Happy 4th everybody have some good stuff for me. Also again happy birthday to the best mom ever. Love you mom and also Love all of you guys. Thanks for everything.

Love,

Elder Wheeler

Just a little Earthquake alarm.

Hey Fam,

How is everyone it has been one full week down here. First off on monday morning we were woken up by the sound of rattling windows accompanied by the shaking of the whole house. Yep you guessed it an earthquake. It was interesting. I can´t say that I have ever actually been in one before. But it was also at 5:30 in the morning so I didn´t want to get up. It didn´t last long though. And no damage to the house or any of us. It was just a wake up call that was too early in the morning. But nothing happened so no need to worry. But then we just had a normal day after that so it wasn´t anything bad. But it was definitely my first earthquake ever. So now I can say that I have been in one. 

Then tuesday happened and I got one of the packages. It was great so thanks to those involved. I have used almost all of the stuff already so that´s how you know it is a great package. 

Other than those it wasn´t too exciting. We have our investigator Cecilia still that was the one that didn´t get baptized on my birthday which was the day she was supposed to. And so we went last night to do her interview and when we got there it was just excuse after excuse of why she didn´t feel like she wanted to get baptized. She says that she really wants to, but when it comes to commitment it doesn´t really work out. And finally she got to the last one like it was going to be the reason that she didn´t get baptized. And so she looks at me and asks if I remember what she had told me. And at this point I am thinking well you have told me a million things so I don´t know which one your talking about. And then she was like ya you must have forgotten, so she started telling us again about she is embarassed with the clothing has to go to church. So then as I had been listening and knew that I needed to bring the clothes from the beginning. We pulled out a shirt and a little jacket that we had gotten from the offices for her. And she was shocked, she was speechless at the sight of us remembering the clothes and bringing them to give to her. And then from there she was great and didn´t have anymore excuses.

While they were in the interview I was sitting there with the grandkid and then he had to go get some things. So as he leaves he takes the key down the stairs and as always throws it back up to put it right in the door. And then rings the doorbell. We are in the second floor mind you, so a lot of space. And then he says just tell my grandma that the key fell down the stairs and then walks away. I was then thinking well I am not going to just tell her that and then not be able to find it. I was out looking for a bit and realized I wasn´t going to find it and then I decided to say a little prayer and as soon as I was done I turned around and there was the key. Lodged underneath the railing and the stairs. It was not something I would have ever seen without the help. There were just some really good miracles that happened here last night. But then unfortunately she was sick today so she couldn´t get baptized, which is the second time she has ditched out on us after having the baptismal font ready and all of our clothes there as well. So that kind of stunk but it was just another learning experience and next week she will do it. Which I really do hope because she needs the blessings from this more than most that I see. She is just the greatest lady and needs the blessings of the gospel in her life. That was really fun, but also a little heart-breaking when we heard that she couldn´t come. But something I will just have to learn from and figure out how it doesn´t happen this coming week. 

I had a great week and a ton of things that we have been doing and that have been going on. But about yesterday the sites of the church were down we couldn´t write and so that is why you are getting this letter today. I hope all is well and that you have a great week. I love you all.

Love,

Elder Wheeler

Giant Surprises!!

Hey fam,

How is everybody this week? It flew by like always but it was a good one. My new comp Elder Howard had a birthday yesterday. So we were celebrating a little with him because we have so much free time on our hands to do stuff like that, haha not! But in the little we did have we tried to make it special for him. It was a fun day though and he seemed to like it. Okay so there are some chocolate eggs that have toys down here that are called kinder surprises. I don´t know if they have them at home. But they are like the size of a normal egg. And they have a little toy in them. So the other day we were at a little kiosco and they had giant ones. So Elder Howard tried to buy one, but didn´t have enough money with him. So I knew exactly what I was going to get for him because he really wanted it. But it is hard to surprise someone that is with you 24/7. So I remembered what mom always did to us. Eventhough we knew she was getting something for us we couldn´t ask questions or peak. So I told him to wait a little bit away and that he couldn´t ask questions becasue it was christmas. He told me his mom said the same thing to him so we were laughing about that. But I bought the egg for him and he never peaked or anything so he was somewhat surprised when we got back to the apartment because he didn´t look. I mean he knew that I had picked something up for him but atleast he didn´t know what it was until we got back to the apartment. 

So that was fun and then we found this pizza place that supposedly had pepperoni pizza. Lie!!! but they did have chicken wings that were really good. The pizza on the other hand that was really expensive for the supposed pepperoni did not have it on there. But we had a little celebration for him then. Also Hermana Ence made lunch for everyone because it was his birthday so we sang to him and I had purchased a candle a week or two ago. Because I was going to use it on my cake. But then we ended up going to President´s house and Hermana Avila made me one. So I never had used it. So we got it out for the lunch. And it was pretty cool. It was like a mini firework. It shot out a ton of sparks, I will try to send the pics I got of it. But ya it was fun. 

Alright so yesterday when we went out to work we went out with a member. I have been to their house and it is full of cats. So not your favorite smell ever right. And to top it all off Elder Howard is allergic to cats. So we went and we were trying to get him out of their as fast as we could, because the guy was taking us to visit some people but we didn´t want to be in his house for too long. And then he wips up some hot chocolate and some pastries and so we were in their for a while. But as we were sitting there the cat smell was just horrific and then the wiff of poo came in. We couldn´t figure out what the smell was until we looked over and there was a cat laying a giant surprise in the corner. Sorry for the descriptiveness but it was human size. And man did it smell bad! So then the guy walks out and sees it smacks the cat gets the shovel and flushes it down the toilet and continued like nothing happened. Oh man I was trying so hard to not laugh and throw up at the same time. It was just one of those experiences. One I will not forget in the near future. 

But ya we are having fun together, we work well together as well. We came at the same time so that is pretty cool. We didn´t meet in the mtc but talked a little bit on the trip to Argentina. But it is really good. 

That is my good story for the week. I hope you have all enjoyed it and I will try to have one as good next week!

It sounds like you are having fun helping all of the new missionary families. Just tell them it will go by faster than they can imagine. Service is always the best thing to do.

Well I love you all and hope you all have a great week. 

Love,

Elder Wheeler

P.S. Mom the pizza went great and also Elder Allen is from Idaho. I don´t know when he will be coming to visit but hopefully sometime soon. 

Pizza Time

Hey Fam,

So quickly I am going to put in the stuffs that I might need just so I don´t forget after. So I don´t know if you can, but I need some thermals. I have one pair of thermal garments, but the tops are really tiny. The bottoms are perfect. They are size 32. But I am thinking that I just want the bottoms of the garments in thermals if you do that. Because they aren´t going to make the sleeves long enough for any of them. But maybe Ben if you could get some thermals that would be great, for the top maybe a lighter color so I could wear it under a white shirt if I had to. But the bottoms it doesn´t matter. And then also I was thinking my down booties would be great to have as well, because that is what get´s coldest when I am in the apartment are my feet. Or some wool socks. I have the short ones you sent with me, but I was thinking long ones would be better if I don´t have thermals. Also for clothes that you send through the mail you aren´t supposed to send new clothes or they will charge you a certain percentage of them. So just don´t send stuff with the tags attatched or something like that, just so they don´t think they are new. I don´t know if any of this is possible through the mail, if not I can just try to find stuff down here. But it just isn´t of the same quality and it is a ton more expensive. If it isn´t possible though don´t worry and I will just go buy it somewhere here. Just cheaper and better from home. 

Alright now to start the letter. How is everybody doing? I hope that you all had a great week and did something fun. So this week Elder Allen one of my real good buds, the one that was here with the kidney stones and was in my office for almost that whole transfer, went home this week. Also I sent a letter home with him, so he better come visit like he said he would. haha. He has the home phone and mom´s cell so he should call sometime soon, but I am not sure when it will be, just so you know. But ya it was a little sad to see him go, but he is on to the next step in life right. So that was one of the big things of this week. Also that meant that it was transfer week. So I now have a new companion. I am still in the offices and I will not be training someone to take over my job this transfer, so I will be here for atleast one more after this one to train. 

But now I am with Elder Howard who is in the same group as me. So we came together from the MTC, but he was in a different district, so we didn´t know each other until we got here. But it has been good so far. The first night we went out together we were just talking to tons of people and it was really fun. We were searching for this member that was supposed to be at the direction in the directory. And the house was at that direction but the street signs lied to us, so we couldn´t find it forever, and then we asked some people and figured out that we had already passed it, it was just that the street signs weren´t right. But we just worked and it was a great night. It has been great to have a little change and a new face. Not that I didn´t like my last companion because I did and I have liked all that I have had so far, it is just a great thing for change. Because then you can see from another´s view point and figure out what the poeple need. So that has been great. We stayed in the area I was in before so still in Villa del Parque. So that will be good because I get to stay in my area and work with the people that are close to being baptized. It has just been great to change and be able to work hard.So ya I don´t want to repeat all o the stories that I wrote in my letter home to you guys because that would be no fun to get tit twice. So I am going to leave this one a little shorter and hope that you get the other letter pretty quick here.

Thank you all so much for all of the help that you have given. You will never know how much you have helped me, So I just want to thank you for that and have a great week for me. Love you all.

Love, 

Elder Wheeler

P.S. a quick explanation of the pics attatched. So this past sunday we went to Presidents house for dinner. Because they weren´t home for my birthday so we did a joint thing of my birthday and the two Elders that were leaving the office staff. So Elder Dugger and I were in charge of making pizzas. Because he worked in a pizza place before and so we had to make all of the pizzas. So we had to go early for it and when we got there the visiting 70 that was here for stake conference in the stake we are in was still there. Because he and his wife are really good friends with President and Hermana Ávila. So we got to take a pic with him and his wife and little baby. And then after dinner we had cake and I got to get sung to and blow out the candles. 

Successful week on the food front.

Hey Fam,

So this week has been great. I mean it has flown by because I just had p day on tuesday and now it is saturday and I am at it all again. But this time I actually have some time to write so that is a plus. And also I have attatched some pictures for once as well. So that is good as well, no? Alright to explain the pics now. There are some of me just walking down the road. It was on Mother´s day when I said I had just been taking pictures. So that is where those are from. And there is a wall of grafitti that I look at everyday when I am walking to the office so I figured I would share it with you as well. And then there is a pic with two people that have been working with the missionaries for about two years now. They had to get married before they could get baptized and just didn´t feel the need. But finally they did and we got to go and be with them. I don´t know if I have already told you about all of this, but I saw the picture and liked it so I figured you can see it again if you haven´t already. 

But anyway let´s see what stories I have from this week. Well I decided to make some burgers this week and they have been excellent. I have all of the things that I need for burgers. Because somebody in the office left some garlic salt and some montreal steak seasoning. So I used that and bought some worcestishire sauce as well and ooh they are almost as good as home. But not quite. Also the past two days I have made some guacamoli. I don´t really know where I know how to make it from, but it is really good so I can´t complain. And then you buy the nacho cheese doritos and dip them in that. It is really good. Apart from those are the only type of doritos that you can get down here. But it is a really good combination. So you should try it sometime and tell me what you think. But it has been a successful week on the food front. I just decided I was getting sick of eating the same stuff all of the time. And I can eat a lot cheaper if I make the stuff myself rather than going to mcdonalds or something. Also it is quite a bit healthier. But the burgers I cut up onions and put them in the actual patties and then cook it with the usual seasonings and cook up some onions and mushrooms on the side and put them on top of the burger and then you melt cheese on top of that. Put a tomatoe on there and some bbq sauce and your good. It is quite good if I might add.

But it is the last week of transfers and so my comp will be headed out this next week to some other place and I will be with somebody else in the offices for this next week. I am not sure if I will be training someone this transfer or if I will have another here in the offices solo. If I train that means I leave the offices after this one, but if I don´t then I would have atleast one more after this one coming. So that is exciting to hear and see about what is coming in the future. 

I don´t have too many good stories this week, but I love you all and thank you for the letters. They help more than you know. It is just great to get to read them every week. So thank you all for that. I love you so much and hope everyone has a great week. Until next week.

Love,

ELDER WHEELER