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