Goal: stay out of the hospital!

Hey fam,

How is everybody doing? It sounds like everybody got back from their trips safely and had a good time. It has been a week full of excitement. I was with one of the ap´s and Hermana Avila all day on thursday because one of the zone leaders has a huge kidney stone. So we had to go to the hospital and wait forever there. I am sure glad that I don´t have to be in the hospital here. It is so gloomy and doesn´t seem to be the most advanced, but hey if I can stay out of there for the rest of my time here I will be very grateful. It is just not a fun place to be. So he will have to go and have some procedures to get that out. Because it is like 12 mm which is huge I would have to say. So that was an interesting one. But I am all healthy thankfully. 

So today we watched the first session from the offices, we just streamed the live feed in my office and will probably do that for the rest of the sessions. Because the people from the stake didn´t have a room set up for the English speakers in the chapel. So we just came back here and watched it. Also president is switching our p-day to monday so we are just supposed to write today and we will be doing our of our other stuff on monday. But he didn´t want us to not write today because then our families would worry about us. 

So conference has just been great today. It is only getting better. I loved the talk by Elder Holland. And man was that a slip in on that one. It is getting late! So don´t wait. That was a great talk. I have grown such an appreciation for conference now that I understand better about what the purpose of it is. And it is such a blessing to be able to hear the prophets every six months. It was already been six months in Argentina. Because it was my very first sunday here that I had general conference last. So that means that the time is just flying by. But I am just loving every second of it. I can´t believe how fast it is going though. But anyway thanks for the support and all of the letters. I love you all and thank you for everything. 

Love,

 

Elder Wheeler

Good thing dad taught him how to use a shovel:)

Hey fam,

Alrighty then, sounds like everyone is doing great. And all is well. I have been doing great since the last time we talked. I don´t know if I told you, but I am in a different area with the Elder in charge of the Finances. Elder Christensen from Brigham City. So we have to take a bus ride to the area everyday. Where before it was just walk out the door and you were there. So we have a half hour trip to and from the area. And when you get out of the offices at four it isn´t much time to be able to work. But it is always good to have a change. I mean I was sad to leave the other ward, but hey there is good in every place you are, you just have to find it. And I get along really well with this guy, we are really good friends, so that is always good, right?

So we had some fun yesterday. The bishop from my last ward called me and was asking if there was any time that we had free that we could come help him with some service. And the Mendoza stake is having a 40 year anniversary celebration. So we had to be there at around 8 to help Sister Avila with a Book of Mormon stand that she was asked to put up. So we didn´t really have all that much time to go to our area and the bishop needed some help. So we went and helped him for a little while. And he has a pool that has been giving him some problems. It is one of those that is just a big fiberglass one that goes in the ground. So not cement, but not just a kiddy pool either. So they had the hose on and some how it got under the lip of the pool and started filling up under the pool and since they didn´t have any water in it, it lifted it up off of the ground a ways. So we had to take the pool out and dig the extra dirt out and he is going to put in a drainage system underneath it. So we helped him get all that out and now I am extremely sore. I haven´t shoveled like that in a while. Probably since that last weekend I was home helping Dad with the stump. But that was really fun. Then we hurried to the church, and got there a little late. But it all worked out I think. We stood at the doors handing out little pamphlets to all the people about he Book of Mormon. Because the point of this program was to invite those that aren´t of our faith to come and see what it is all about. So there were supposedly going to be a lot of public leaders and people coming, but how many actually came I have no idea. We just greeted and talked a little to everyone coming in. So that was fun. It is hard to get over that part of getting out of your comfort zone and just going up to people. But that is the only way to find people to teach. It is something that I don´t know that I will ever get used to, but it is worth the uncomfortableness haha. But there is a second part of this celebration on sunday night where we are going to be singing. We are singing with the youth choir, because the guys needed a little bit of help, and the director is President´s daughter. So Sister Avila of course signed us all up. No but it will be fun. 

So p-day´s are always pretty boring, but today we figured out how to use the boringness to the best of our ability. Elder and Sister Ence who are the senior couple that are serving in our mission right now, invited us over. Sister Ence is working in the finances with my comp., and Elder Ence is the nurse for the mission. So anyway we were talking to her about making food. And Elder Christensen wanted to learn how to make stir fry, and eventhough I know how we still went to learn. But it was fun, we just cooked with her and then after made some banana bread. And it was good for all of us. Because we are sick of eating crap food that is premade or something like that. And so we had something fun to do and somewhere good to spend our time. It was fun for us and she invited us to come over next week to do something else. She makes us really good pizza during the week, so we are going to go watch how she does it. And also the missionary couple that was here before, Sister Packer started making granola bars for the sack lunches that they send with the missionaries on transfer days and stuff. So she taught Sister Ence and she is going to teach us how to do it. She never lets us bring anything to help. So this time I got her to let us bring half of the ingredients so that we aren´t just using all of her stuff. But ya we are going to go do that next week. So that should be fun. And also mom, what was your recipe for the bread that you used to make in the juice cans from the cannery. Because she wanted to know if you did something different, and I couldn´t remember if you just used the same one or not. But anyway ya we had some really good food today. It wasn´t something I really would have considered fun before, but it was just relaxing and I think they enjoyed the company as well. So it was good for both sides. 

 

So a quick explanation of the photos. I don´t know if I attached these ones already but here they are again if I did. There is one of us and the bishops family from my last ward, the one we were helping last night. And then there are two of the night before Elder Lounsbury the last historian left. We got to eat at President´s house. And all of the new missionaries were getting their pictures taken to get sent to their families to tell them they arrived safely. So president asked who hadn´t gotten their picture taken yet and I jokingly raised my hand and so we got some more pics with the Pres. And then the other one is with Leo who lived in the states for like ten years and married a girl from Utah. So we always used to go there and teach him on sundays because it is his only day off and he is a recent convert. But he is a really cool guy. And speaks perfect english so that is fun. 

But ya I am just loving being here. I know that I am have an amazing amount of blessings from being here. I wouldn´t change it for anything in the world. Love you all and hope you have a great week.

Les Amo,

Elder Wheeler

It's a small world.

Hey Fam,

How is everyone? I hope all is going well, it sounds like you are starting to warm up a little bit up there. We still haven´t started getting colder down here unfortunately. It always seems so hot when we are out working, but it should be cooling down from what I here.

 

So this week there have been some new elders coming in, and in the first group I didn´t know any of them. But then there was one that came a couple days later than the rest. And his name was Elder Sorenson. I looked at him and he looked somewhat familiar like he could be related to those in Kamas. But then thought that no probably not and I didn´t want to ask if he knew someone, because they never do and it is just awkward. But then I later thought that I should so I asked him if by chance he had some family in Utah. Then he said ya I am from Utah. And then I was like well then do you by chance have some family in Oakley. Ya my uncle is a stake president up there. So that was crazy. So he has been up there a ton, he is from Riverton. And so he knew a ton of the people from hike school. So that was very interesting. 

It is really fun being in the offices and actually being able to meet the new Elders and Sisters that come in. I hope I didn´t look that terrified when I got here, but I imagine that I did. So we just try and cheer them up and let them know that within a short while they will be loving every second of it. It is fun to be able to do. I am so thankful for all of what I get to do here in the offices and also just being on a mission. There is no other place in this world where I could have experienced anything near what I am right now.

So this week makes it official. Your now looking at the official Historian, Whooohooo!!! It really isn´t too difficult, I mean the days that transfers happen and new ones get here are a little bit hectic,but other than that it is pretty easy to do. You just have to do a lot of figuring stuff out for people on the computer, because that is what the questions are. There is always something they want done, but they don´t have any idea how to do it. So that is when they come to me and I get to figure it out for them. So that is fun right? 

So this week was transfers and I got taken out of the area that I just barely got to know and most of the people in it. So that was a little bit sad to have happen, but I understand that it´s not how I want it, but it is how the Lord does. So I mean I was a little sad at first that I wouldn´t be able to keep visiting these people that I have been for the past six weeks, and also the members that I was just starting to get to know. So that was an area called Godoy Cruz Centro, which is the central part of the city we are in which is Godoy Cruz. And now I will be in an area called Villa del Parque. Which is a ward or branch not sure that is about a half hour bus ride from the offices. So that won´t be quite as convenient as just walking out the door and being right in your area, however it will be just as good and I am going to work hard wherever I am, so it doesn´t really matter. I just have to do my part and show that I am thankful for the opportunities that I have. So anyway I don´t really have many stories to tell today unfortunately. And also no pictures that I haven´t already sent. So sorry for that and hopefully next week I will have something good to share.

But by the way the bible videos that the church is doing on lds.org are great. They really help you to see how these scriptures actually happened. They are good if you ever have the time to watch them, I would highly recommend them. Anyway everything is going well here, I am having a great time and hope that all of you are as well. If you ever want to know about something please let me know because I would be more than happy to answer any questions. 

Love you all,

Elder Wheeler

P.S. Mom so for that driver´s license ya just send it to the same place that you send the packages. That will be the quickest way to get it to me. And thanks for doing that by the way. Also I just think of stuff throughout the week on what I may need in a package, so I have some other ideas for ya if you want. I love getting new ties because it is the only thing I get to change about what I am wearing and so i would always love more of those. And also if it is possible that axe gel stuff that I use. I can´t find it anywhere here and they don´t have an equivalent that I have found that works. So if possible that would be great. Rach should know which kind. But I will keep trying stuff and see if I can find some that works down here. The other package has not arrived yet, but I am guessing that it will be here this coming week. I will be sure to let you know when it does. Thanks for everything and let me know if you need anything from me. Love you.

Hey Everybody,

So it has been a great week once again. The lucky thing about being on a mission is it seems to be a great week every week. But ya we had a ward party last night, that was probably one of the best ones I have ever been to. The missionaries did it. So it was supposed to be the eight of us that organized it. But the assistants weasled their way right out of helping with anything, just showing up right in time for it to start. But anyway it was a lot of fun. So those are the pics that I attached. So first when people were getting there, they each got a name tag, with their names and a number on it. And then they got a list of things that they had to make for certain people corresponding to their numbers. But they had to make everything out of newspaper. So that will explain a little bit of the pictures. So it was good and got everyone excited and so they weren´t just sitting around. They had to do something for someone else, so it made it better and it broke the ice so everyone was in the mood to have fun. Then after everyone was dressed in their newspaper attire, we sat in a circle of chairs. And everyone had a paper of an animal under their seats. So they had to find out what kind of animal they were and to find which group they were in they had to make the sound of that animal and go and find the rest of the people that were making that noise. It sounds kinda weird, but it was a lot of fun. Because everyone was doing it, so you didn´t feel stupid being the only ones haha.

 

But anyway I was in the bishops group. And that guy is one of the most fun people to be around. So anyway each group had a game to play. We had five different activities to do. And so there were five different groups. So we had a group that had to do a three legged race, and carry a balloon without their hands across the cultrual hall. And then the next was they had to suck m&m´s out of a bottle with a straw and take them to another table with a bowl, with only using the straw to take them. So the bishop cheated for our team of course. He was pouring the m&m´s out of the bottle on to the table because it was hard to get them out of the bottle. That was kind of the point when we came up with it. But anyway then the next one, they had to roll marbles across half of a ping pong table and have them stick to little squares of tape that were on the other end of the table. Then the next was we had bowls of flour filled with candy. That they had to dig out of the bowl with nothing but their mouths. So everyone got really messy with that. And then the last one that was the messiest. We had all of the team but one person lay on the ground on their backs. And then there was one that had a big bowl of jello that went by and dropped the jello from about waist high trying to make it into the people´s mouths. It was pretty messy but really fun. And then there were a ton of people that brought treats to eat after. So it was just a really fun activity and everyone had a lot of fun. We even had investigators there, that were doing everything, it was just something I don´t think I have ever done before. But it was good. 

Other than that we have just been working hard. This transfer ends this wednesday already, it is just crazy how fast the time flies by. It has already been another six weeks, which I cannot believe. But I am loving it. It has been such a blessing to be here in the offices. I have had so much fun by being here, but at the same time, I am working just as hard. It just makes a difference when you can enjoy things, to how they turn out. Because I can see why people say this is the hardest time in their lives, because when you aren´t enjoying it, it would be very hard. But thankfully this transfer I have had awesome companions and have just been able to enjoy it all. It also doesn´t hurt being able to be here with president and his family all of the time. 

So the pictures, the first one I believe is of all of us in our newspaper outfits. I personally like my diamond ring haha. Then there are some of us playing the jello game. That is the bishop next to me trying to funnel in the jello haha. He is such a funny guy. And then there is also one of me and him right after the jello game. There were just so many good pictures this time I didn´t know which ones to pick. But I think that these ones may have captured the night. I have some videos that another elder took that I am going to try and send in another email. But ya I just have to count my blessings with everything that I have been given and the great experience that I am so blessed to have. 

I hope all is going well at home. It sounds like everything is starting to warm up a little that is good. We are still in just hot and humid right now. Which is weird because it isn't supposed to be humid. But it is. So I don't know what is going on. I am just hoping for it to cool down a little bit soon. Anyway I am doing great and I hope that you guys all are as well. I love you all so much and thanks for the letters this week. The support means so much to me. I don't think you understand how much your letters help. So I just wanted to say thanks for all of them. I love you all,

Until next week,

Elder Wheeler

P.S. Mom I thought of something else that I might need in a package if you are sending another one anytime soon. I need some good pens. Because it is very hard to find a good pen around here. They all die within two seconds or just don't work at all. Also whenever you come up with more recipes I am ready to hear them. Because I am in a place now that I have a lot more access to things so I can cook a little bit more of what I want. So any ideas when you think of them would be great thanks! 

Beauty Pageant Parade!

Hey Everybody,

So it has been a quick week as usual and so not too many stories, but today was full of stories. So it is p day of course and so president invited us to come to his house because they were having that parade thing that we saw on the last mission president´s blog. I think rach saw it and was telling me about it. 

But anyway so we left this morning to come here and by the time we got close they were already starting to shut the roads down. So we had to figure out a way to get under the police tape haha. No we just asked them if we could get through because we had a house that we needed to, not just going to drive around. So he let us come in. And so we had some pastries for breakfast and just got to be in the house. It was really fun. And then we went down to the parade. But the problem with the parade is it is basically a beauty pageant thing they do between all of the departamentos that are close to Mendoza, so basically every city has their queen and then after all of it they choose one to be the winner. But we were out there, and of course the missionaries stick out. 

First I was with Elder Burr and we were taking pictures of one of the floats, but it turns out that the queens or princesses were watching us, so they were posing for the pictures. Ya that was a little embarrassing haha. Not at all what we were trying to do, but ya a little awkward. And then Sister Avila was giving us a hard time and saying that we were flirting with them. But not at all the case and she just loves to give us a hard time. So that started the parade and then we were a little hesitant to take too many more pictures for that to happen again, but it was fun nonetheless.

In the parade they throw fruit. And the other great thing about the missionaries sticking out is that they all throw the fruit to you if you act like you want it. So we just went a little bit out in the road and put our hands up and they threw a ton of fruit to us. It was really fun. One of the Elders got on another´s shoulders and went up to the float and they gave him a melon. It was really fun. Only the only thing is, is that we are still at presidents house, so I can´t upload my photos. So I will have to put them on for you guys next week. 

Also that movie that I told you about the first week I got to this area that we were in. It came back and it is a training video that they will use for the secretaries. Anyway here is the link if you want to watch..  its in Spanish though. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpUZ5OgwarM&feature=youtu.be

But anyway I just thought that was fitting because ganz and rach are doing the hairs for all of the prommers this week. 

So we got waved at by all the queens haha. And those that had microphones were talking to us in English. It is like we are a fan attraction or something, they have never seen us before haha. But it was really fun and we also got to spend the day with president and his family. This has been my most embarrassing and most fun p day that I have had yet. It is fun that I have gotten to experience all of this, in just a short time too. I will be here for a while so it will be fun to be able to experience more. I hope I will have some good stories for you all. I don´t have a ton of time today because there are a ton of us and not very many computers here at president´s house. So I wanted to share my fun story for the week and I hope it was entertaining. So thank you all for the support it is so fun to get your letters and be able to here from all of you. I love you all and hope you all have a good week. I will have more next time, but this week we are getting cut a little short. I hope all is well and sorry for the short letter this week. I will have more time and do better next week.

Love you guys,

Elder Wheeler