Get out the scrapbook paper! We have a new Historian:)

Hey Everybody,

So sorry about yesterday, we were not near anything where we could right. We went to a place called Nihuil, which is like the big lake thing I went to a while ago. But a little further and there were some members that have a cabin type deal up there, so we took a bus with them up to visit. And the bus that was supposed to leave in the afternoon to bring us back hasn´t been running for a couple months. Only the one at nine at night. So we didn´t have much of a choice but to sit and wait around for the last bus. But that is why I didn´t write yesterday, was because I was stuck in the middle of nowhere. And this computer is being stupid so I can´t send any photos. So maybe this next time. 


Oh ya by the way my p-day will be switching to saturday I believe. Because I am getting transferred! I am headed to the offices. I don´t exactly understand why, but I get to be the new historian yay! And the offices have p-day on saturday. So you might need to write a little earlier this week. Ya that was a huge surprise that I am getting transferred there. I was pretty sure that I was getting transferred but had no idea there. But I have been told by everyone that when you get sent there with as little time that I have it is because president wants to prepare you for some leadership position. So we will see. I don´t know if it is that or somehow he figured out that I know about computers. Because I was trying to keep that underwraps. I didn´t tell anyone that I know of, but I am thinking that for some reason he found out and ya. So could be a little of both of those. Anyway I am ready for a new challenge. Accept that I won´t get to go proselyting very much, because for this first transfer I am getting trained to be the historian. I don´t really know what I will be doing, but ya. So anyway that is the big change going on here. 

Also I wanted to send you the pictures but we had two more baptisms this past weekend. Unfortunately though we are both getting transferred from this area, because my comp is going to be a zone leader, ya I don´t know about that one. But I just feel bad about us both leaving them. Also I have been saying goodbye to all of the members and converts. Because I have grown very close to almost all of them in this area. I know it is how it goes and that you have to leave, but it will always be a special place for me. The members are so good here. Well for the most part haha. I will miss them all but I am excited for a new challenge. I am so happy to be here and can see the lords hand in all of this work. It is a wonderful blessing I have to be here. 

On sunday the bishop asked me to give a talk. So I was putting scriptures together that I could use to give one, and was pretty confident that I could do the ten or fifteen minutes he wanted. But as I walked up there he whispered to me to only give my testimony and so I didn´t have to worry about it. He must have been inspired that I was going so he made me give my testimony. But it all worked out because then I didn´t have to give a talk because he felt like he needed to take some time to talk to the ward. So ya it was pretty good. 

Also another good thing about being in the offices is that I will get my packages as soon as they get there. And I won´t have to wait another month for them to come. But ya I am sure that I will love it wherever I am put. Because the Lord knows what he is doing and puts us where we need to be. So for something I am headed there. Also remember that p-day is now saturday as far as a I know. So write earlier if you can. 

Anyway thanks for everything you do and all of the support you give me. I can feel all of your prayers and want to thank you for that. I love you all and hope you have an excellent week. 

Love,
Elder Wheeler

Food poisoned.

Hey fam,


So how is everybody doing? I got my other package this week! It was awesome! I loved all of the pictures of everyone. And all of the drawlings. haha ya I said drawlings. I think the one that made me laugh the most was Arie´s. He wrote it in spanish, it just made me laugh. No but really that was awesome, eventhough the mail system or the mission not sure which didn´t give it to me until almost a month after christmas. It was awesome. Thanks so much! Oh and the flavor packets were just what I wanted, thanks! 


So the pics that I sent, the family that we eat with every week and the lady that washes our clothes. They are the best. Which reminds me do you have any ideas to dye those white spots on my shirt back to grey? 
There were the missionaries that they have travel around and help those that need it, was in my area before. And so he wanted to have lunch with this fam, and that is why we took some picks. So I figured I would share. 

Then the other one was from the crazy hail storm we had. I put on my jacket and went out to get a picture. Ya it hurt really bad, but it was a cool picture. And then the other is obviously of the hail stones. Apparently it is famous around here. They always get these kind of storms and supposedly they are huge ones that fall. Those ones didn´t seem to big to me, but hey everyone exaggerates a bit right?

We had another hail storm last night. It was at like three in the morning. And we all woke up to the pounding on the roof. So we learned from the experience of the last one where the leaks in the roof are. So we rearranged the beds so we weren´t underneath any of them and went back to sleep. 


Then this morning the member that lives just two houses down from us, came and asked if we could help her. We didn´t really know what she needed. Then we got there and had to climb on the roof to measure the windows that the hail had broken. So I had my sandals on and when we were coming back down off of the roof, one of them fell off and into the neighbours yard. But everyone´s yards are closed off by a wall and a gate. So you can´t really just go get it. So I had to sit on the wall until the lady came out to give me my sandal haha. 

Oh yeah so I may have gotten food poisoning from the members. And by may have I mean, I did. Because we had our zone conference on thursday and one of the ladies made lunch for everyone. So as I was eating my chicken I realized that it was a little pink. So of course I stopped eating it, but that was a little too late. Because the next two days I was very sick. I didn´t really sleep on friday night because I was in the bathroom all night. But I followed the mission doctor or nurse whatever he is. He gave me some structions and I am now feeling a lot better. It wasn´t really anything I didn´t already know, but ya now it is a lot better. It was not a fun two or three days though. So I had a couple days of being sick, and we had two big storms this week. I guess those are some good stories. 

Apart from that I am doing well. I am happy and having a good time. I gots me some good letters this week so that is always fun to see and hear from everyone. It sounds like everyone is doing good. So the jazz are doing good it sounds. That doesn´t sound right, not that I am not happy to hear, just doesn´t sound normal. Anyway the comp is still lazy, but is getting better, it didn´t help this week that I was sick, because then he tried to use that as an excuse to stay in the apartment when I wanted to leave. Because it does me no good to sit there if I am going to feel sick either way. But he is getting better. Transfers are coming up this next week, and I have heard that I am staying here with him and also that I am leaving. So nothing really to help me know one way or the other. I would love to stay because the members are awesome, but I will be happy with whatever happens. I know the lord will send me where I need to be. So that should be the big news next week. Anyway all is well I am all better I hope. I am happy and know that I am where I need to be right now. Thanks for the package this week it was perfect. I loved it. Also thanks for the support everybody. I love you all and hope you have a great week. Chau Chau


Love,
Elder Wheeler

"It's still blazin hot down here."

Hey everybody,

So how is the snow? It´s still blazin hot down here. It is over one hundred degrees outside. Ya I think that has got to be the best weather ever for walking around all day. But no in all reality I am really enjoying my time here. I know that there is no other experience in this world that I can have that will compare. So I am trying to enjoy every minute of it. Those recipes will be wonderful thanks mom and rach. I told rach the things that I don´t have, so maybe if you know of a substitute or something that would be awesome. If not I will make do. Also the pictures I attached are from new years still. Because I haven´t really had time to take more. I will work on that. Because I still need to get you some pictures of what everything looks like here. But the only problem is I can´t have my camera with me while I am walking around, so it really complicates things. I will find some good pics soon though.

So I don´t really have any good stories this week, but I don´t think I have really answered any of the questions about the language. I understand almost a hundred percent of what people are saying. And I can converse enough that I need to. I know that my blessing I got when I was set apart that said I would receive the gift of tongues was true. Because I have been able to do it. I know at first I didn´t understand anything, but with time it has become much easier. I mean I still have to practice and learn a ton, because there are many words that I still don´t know, but I have a lot of help from the latin missionaries, because they all are willing to help me. So I can tell that it has been a very big blessing and I know that I have been blessed a lot. I always get complimented on how well I speak for how little time I have, but in all reality, it isn´t me. It is something that I have been given. And I can´t relax and not learn or I won´t have anything. But I know that if I continue to work hard and do what my part, the lord will bless me with what I can´t do. So I am just working as hard as I can. 


I haven´t had to hard of time with the language, well I take that back. I haven´t let my attitude be down about not knowing the language. Because I am new and shouldn´t know everything. So I just work hard, and it has all worked out. 

I have seen so many things already that I know I would not have been able to learn in any other place in this life. For that I am so thankful for the opportunity to serve my heavenly father and Jesus Christ. I know that I would not have been able to do it without every single one of you. You all helped in your own special way. You may not think so, but you all helped me to grow and learn what I needed to, to be able to do this. And I am so grateful that I am here. I know this is the best place for me at this time in my life. Two years will fly by, because I am already done with a fourth of it and it has flown by. In the moment maybe it felt long, but overall it has been very fast. So ya everything is awesome I am loving every aspect of the work. I have a very strong testimony that everything in this church that we are asked to do is for a reason. Although we may not know in the very moment why, if we are obedient to the things that are asked of us we will be blessed. I hope that everyone at home is doing good, and that all is well with your activities. I am so thankful for all of you and everything you do for me. You have no idea how much you have all impacted my life. So thank you and I love you all and will talk to you next week.

Love,
Elder Wheeler

New Year's with my Comp.. and his sparkly apple juice.

The lady at the store couldn't figure out why we would want sparkling apple juice.

One-eyed-monsters!

Hey fam,

How is everyone? I am doing awesome here still. I am enjoying it all and the time is just flying by. I am almost to six months is that not crazy. That will be a fourth of my mission done already. I can´t believe it. It is going by too fast. So do you want to hear how small this world is. Ya pretty small. So one of the elders from chile that lives with us, Elder Pizarro, was saying that he knew an elder that served where he lives, and he was saying that he had my same name. I was like I doubt that I am going to know him. But he pulled out his pictures and guess who it was. Not quite the same name. But there was a picture of Chase Weller. Ya that was weird. This world is way to small. Anyway just thought that was crazy and that you might enjoy that. 

So guess what I got one of the packages this week. It had two ben sherman ties in it that are awesome. I have already worn them both. And a real salt lake shirt that I am wearing right now. And some spices and candy too. It was great. Only the only thing is is that everything smelled and tasted like the spices. I tried to let everything air out for a few days, but it still smelled pretty strongly. So I washed my shirt and got just about all of the smell out of it. But the ties I can´t wash obviously, and there is still some smell lingering. So if you have any ideas on how to get the smell out of those that would be cool. Also I wouldn´t recommend chicken flavored skittles. That first taste is not great. After that they were good, but that first bite in, Whoo!! strong. Anyway thank you so much for the package it was awesome to get. I should be getting the other one soon I assume, the next trip someone takes to mendoza I should get it. 


So I also have a little bit of sad news. Not really sad more just that stinks kind of news. I got mud all over my pac12 shirt because we were playing football. So I put it into my thing to have washed. But when it came back, there are some white spots all over it. Because bleach or something got spilled on it. So my brand new shirt now looks quite old in fact. So I was just wondering if you know of any tricks to get rid of that. Like something I could use to die it back. I was thinking of a sharpie, but it is too dark and would be just as noticable as the white. But anyway I still love it and use it. Just has a bunch of white stains on it that I was wondering if anybody knew how to fix. Anyway that is the crappy news that I have.
 
So my companion and I get along really well, but there is one slight problem. He doesn´t like to work. I am beginning to realize how real setting apart´s are. Because everything that I have written down from my setting apart has happened or is happening. But ya he likes to sleep in which is something that everyone would like to do. But no we don´t because there is a reason we are here on this mission. And it has nothing to do with us. So I have a hard time with people not wanting to do stuff. Because it makes it harder for me to do stuff. And then when it comes time to plan for the day, somehow he always dissappears. Ya so that kind of stinks. But luckily I know the area really well, and can plan the stuff because I have been here for a while. I know that we go through things for a reason. But in the moment it is hard to see the reason. So I am just trying to lead by example and do everything that I can. Because I am not going to sit around and do nothing. I couldn´t have something like that on my mind. I know that this is a mission for my Heavenly Father and Savior and I am trying to treat it that way. So it makes it hard for me when others don´t feel like it is that important to work hard. 

Anyway don´t worry I am not getting discouraged, I am just going to keep going to work hard. And if he wants to follow cool, if not I will just have to drag him along until he does. Patience? is one of those things that you have to learn very quickly on your mission. It is for sure one of those christ like attributes, that everyone needs!

Anyway all is well here. We had an asado today for fun. Because it is p-day and ya when you marinade the meat in pop. Mainly sprite is what I have been using, I would use mtn. Dew if I had it but not here. Anyway it makes it taste so good, and everyone else loves it too. 

Oh ya dad, your gonna love this one. I got up one day this week and was really hungry. So I looked at what I had to eat. And there was bread and eggs. You know what that means, One-eyed-monsters! Haha. They were pretty dang good. I made some for the others as well and they all loved them too. It´s a great meal to know how to cook.haha. I also made some french toast this week. But there is no such thing as maple syrup, so I just made the batter really sweet and you didn´t really need much else. They were pretty good.


Mom speaking of cooking, I don´t know what to use those spices you sent me for. I have never used them before in my meals so I don´t know what I can use them for. SO I need some recipes. Oh ya another story. The lady that stained my shirt haha, no she´s good she didn´t mean to. But anyway we made some sweet beef tacos. Because pork here is somewhat expensive, so we used my recipe from what I could remember of it and made tacos with it. I had to shred three huge roasts of it haha. It took forever. Luckily she cooked it all. We just had to prepare some of it a little when we got there. Also the tortillas that my comp makes were very simple. Just flour water and butter. With a ton of salt. Nothing special. But it was pretty easy to do that. Anyway they loved the tacos. So that was fun. We now have to come up with ideas for her to make haha. Anyway that´s all I have for this week. No pictures this week. Nothing new on my camera to send ya. But thanks for everything. I loved that package. It is nice to know that christmas is spread out. Then I have something to look forward still. I love you all. I will talk to ya next week.


love,
Elder Wheeler

Happy New Year!

Hey fam,

How is everybody? How were your parties for the new year and everything. I hope you had some fun. It has been a little bit of a long weekend for me. Not too bad, but just we couldn´t really leave after like six on saturday until today. 
We went to church yesterday but other than that we were stuck in the house. That makes the time last forever. Especially because it is so boiling hot right now. It is to like 40 degrees celcius, which is over one hundred farenheit. So ya it is somewhat miserable in the heat.  We have some fans in the place, but they just blow the hot air around and it doesn´t help anything. So that is rough. As I write I am baking to death haha. But hey I only get to experience this once in my life right so I gotta make it last.




We had some fun for new years because we knew we weren´t going to be able to leave. We went and bought some stuff to do a bbq. Alright so my bud from costa rica has some of that mccormick seasoning stuff for steaks and stuff. So I tried to duplicate my seasonings from home. But obviously they don´t have anything like mountain dew down here. So I went with sprite. Ooh ya it was pretty dang good. I mean as good as you can get without anything good to use for seasoning. We didn´t season it all like that because the other kids weren´t sure that they would like it. So Elder Solano and I marinated our pieces in it. And ya they were a lot better than everyone elses. So after they all tried it, we had to share our good stuff and eat there crappy stuff. haha. Just kidding but seriously. I knew it would turn out like that, but no one believed me. So those are some seasonings that I would like. Also taco seasoning in the little envelopes that you use mom. Oh ya I don´t have any cookie recipes and I have forgotten how to do any of them. So I am going to need those.  


A little list that I have been thinking of, for recipes:
-Bread
-Cookies, chocolate chip, no bake, oatmeal raisen, or just any others that you can think of. sugar cookies.
-brownies
-pizza dough
-pasta sauces
-uncle dan´s ranch packets. Or any ranch packets. 
-taco seasoning
-mccormik steak seasoning, or any of those ones. 
-Garlic Salt

That is all I can think of right now. So if you can those are the kinds of things that I can´t get here. 


Anyway the bbq was really good, and we had some fun together. Because as I said there are six of us living in the same place. Which also means that if you buy something or get anything, you have to share it with ten other hands. 


By the way I did not get my packages yet other than the one I already had when I talked with you. The zone leaders are headed to mendoza this week so they are going to look for me. But they weren´t there when we went on wednesday for the party. 

Which reminds me of a very good story. We are just going to title this story Home Alone 1. You might be guessing about now what happened but not quite. So there were the six of us and four other elders that came to sleep in our place, because it is the closest to the bus terminal. And this was tuesday night. Keep in mind the bus leaves the terminal at 5:30 in the morning. So there were two that had to leave a 4:30 because all the tickets on our bus were sold out. So the night before there were six people that said they set their alarms. Ya you might be able to guess now. The two that were leaving first were supposed to wake us all up before they left. Ya they got up silently and took off. Leaving the door and the gate to the house wide open. And they stopped the alarms because they were set for them first, but they were supposed to set it again and wake us up. Nope they did neither. So 5:20 roles around and we get a call from the other missionaries in the zone asking where the zone leaders are, because they have everybodies tickets for the bus. So everyone jumped up and threw as many clothes on as the could before running out the door. We were all in our suits and had backpacks. Well we all had the parts of our suits.  I got the job of being last out to lock everything up. So we did all of that as fast as we could, and the others were already a quarter of a mile down the road sprinting. So we took off running. We caught up in not too much time, because lets be honest it´s not to hard when they are half your size. So we were all running to get to the bus. And normally if you aren´t there on time they just leave. Because that is the business. They somehow let the other missionaries on and were waiting for us at the gate of the terminal. The drivers were obviously mad because we made them late. So they were yelling at us and everything but hey we made all made it on the bus. Excuse me we almost all made it on the bus. As the bus pulled away we saw two elders running down the road. Ya we may have left two behind. Not only did it look like home alone in the house when we were all running around trying to get ready, but yes we left some behind. 


Then after getting on the bus, it was so hot. The air conditioning did not work. So we were all dead and trying to get air. Luckily I can sleep anywhere at anytime, so I just went to sleep. But anyway the two that got left were able to get on another bus of the same company. So we all made it, but it was just the spittin image of home alone. And now I know that I will never be leaving it up to someone else to set the alarm for me. I will be doing it myself.


We went and played some sports and ate some really cold nasty meat. Ya I tried cow tongue. It was disgusting. You could still see the taste buds on it. Then we did a white elephant exchange. And I got that huge balloon with the Argentine version of laffy taffy´s inside it. That is what I am holding in the picture with Elder Obaldia. It was quite the experience, one I will never forget that´s for sure. 

But anyway back to new years we had that bbq that was good. Then we bought sparkling cider. We bought six bottles, one for each of us.

I went with elder solano to buy all of the stuff. And got to carry a box of cider with six bottles back to the house. The attendant that rang us up was very surprised that all of it was alcohol free. She was so confused that we wanted six bottles of alcohol free stuff. She kept asking you know this doesn´t have alcohol right. Ya lady we did that for a reason haha. And then because there are two elders from central america, they always make a dummy and burn it for the new year. So we made that dummy that is in the picture with all of us. And at midnight went out and burned it. It was a good night. 

But I am glad all of the holiday stuff is over, because now we aren´t going to get stuck in the house for days at a time. We can go out and actually work without having to worry about all the drunks. So ya it was a great week. I hope you all enjoyed the stories. I am doing great and I hope you all are as well. But that´s all for today folks.  I love you all so much and am so thankful to have each and everyone of you in my life. 

Love,
Elder Wheeler