Not too much snow, but it never snows here, so it was a big deal!

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Dont worry , I didn´t drive it haha!!

But because all cars here are inported and only use a natural gas, they are super expensive. So many people drive there bikes instead!

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Elder Olaya from Columbia, Elder Ayala from Argentina, Elder Johnson, and me!

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Birthday wishes!

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Hello from Rodeo del Medio!!

 Hello everyone,

      Wow, life has been crazy here, but good!!! And it is the end of my first transfer here. Elder Johnson and I were really expecting to stay here together. But Elder Johnson is now getting transfered to San Juan, a whole nother providence . But  he is getting bumped up as a Zone Leader there. Then Wednesday I get my new companion, Elder Fox! So a little bit of changes here. Dad, Happy Birthday!! Enjoy the football tickets. And remember, if you take Tan with you, you have to split the 1 pound  nachos with him. That was our ritual, and you can carry that tradition on with him haha! But sounds like it was a great day for you! Dallin, way to go with protecting Jordan. That is something that I would have done for sure if i wasnt here!  Jordan, be careful with my Jeep alright haha. And sounds like your eegees date was fun. I hope you ate a lot of the watermelon for me haha! And sounds like your party was a lot of fun. Us Wengerts know how to throw a party haha. Mother, an asado here is an Argentine BBQ. They burn down a fire to just coals, and put a grill over the coals, slow cooking the carne, charriso, or pollo over those. Or  they cook them in their brick ovens. (That is one thing that we need to  build when I get home dad. Either an asado grill or a brick oven haha). We still havent gotten our stuffa yet in the pench, but we have started sleeping with 2 liter bottles filled with boiled  water. And that has really been working really well!

     Well my birthday was great. My District  gave  me a nice little suprise after singing to me and having a little bit of fun with flower and eggs. You finish the story haha! But then we just played futbal for the rest of p-day. Then at the Flia Gutierrez, they had made me cake and of course shoved my face into it haha!

     Well the work here is going great! We made the whole 2 hour commute to the house of Said to teach Carla, but to also try to teach the rest of his family. His Mom and 2 other sisters along as Carla. So we eat there, and yes it was another asado haha . So good. Then we start teaching about baptism, and about half way through the mom stops us, looks at her daughters, and asks, ¨so what do we need to do to get baptized¨? We were speechless for a second and then start  answering her question. We knew it would be hard for her to come to church because they have to walk an hour  and then take a bus for another hour to get there. But Sunday morning there is Said, his mother, and his sisters at church. They all really want to get baptized. It is amazing to see! The only problem is we need to get permission from the father to baptize them all, and he lives in Bolivia with no kind of communitcation. But he is supposed to be coming here to Rodeo del Medio this week. So we are excited to talk to him about that! 

    Then we went and taught Laura this week. She is the one with the 7 month year old daughter named Alma that has down syndrome . But we are teaching her there on the front porch about the restauration, but she wasnt really listening and stuff, and we could tell. So we stopped for a second , because we knew there was something else the she needed. Then Elder Johnson is asks her, Laura, if you dont mind me asking, Alma is  sick right? She has down syndrome. She gets kind of scared and doesnt say anything. He goes on saying, Alma having down syndrome is not a punishment for you . She just starts crying and she tells us how the whole barrio (neighborhood) has been telling her that. Alma has this because Laura made mistakes and was being punished for her past. I followed up with how this is acually a blessing for you. Alma has a spot already saved for her to live with the Lord, and that the Lord trusts her to take care of Alma until that time! We went on teaching her the plan of salvation and she loved it. At the end we asked her if there was anything that we could do for her, and she simply just said ¨just continue to visit me¨. It was so awesome, and it was so totally controlled by the spirit!

     Sounds like everything is great at home. Thank you so much for everything. Have a great week and I love you so much!

Elder Wengert-W9

      

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Love you all!!

Hello everybody,

     Thank you all for your birthday wishes. You´re the best!! Im not sure about any of your packages though, because mail doesnt get sent straight to our pench here, but to the mission office. So we only get mail here either when we go to the offices, or the ZL´s go. But Thank you all for them. Hopefully I get them soon haha. Luckily for me it falls on a P-day. So we are doing a little district get together, eat some food, play some futbal. That good stuff haha. But tomorrow the Familia Gutierrez is throwing me a little mini fiesta with a cake and an asado. They are just the best family. But that should exciting!

       Devin Wengert, I now have dirt on you my brother. You recieved a pedicure!! I think that is at least 2 corners off your man card. Haha, you have nothing on me now!! But maybe you can go do some manly things to attempt to earn them back haha!

     Well the weather here is so unpredictable. Earlier this week we were burning up while working in the afternoon. Then the next day it is freezing cold. And then we wake up yesterday to snow on the  ground, which is very rare in this part of Argenina. It gets cold, but almost never snows. Everybody was going crazy haha. But it was freezing that night in the pench. But its alright, we should be getting a stuffa (gas heater) very soon!

     Well the work is going very well. Carla, the sister of Said that he has been teaching, continues to progress. She is so ready for baptism, but the mother wont give permission until the father gives his permission. But the thing is the father lives  in Bolivia. He has no phone or computer. So it is very difficult to get ahold of him. So hopefully soon. Last Saturday we were working in a section of our area called 25 de Mayo, a very sketchy and run down area. But we are walking down the street there when a little boy, maybe 6 years old, runs up to us and is like I live right there!! We are just like which house is there? So he grabs our hands and leads us to his house, leaves us there in front, goes inside and comes out with hisd parents so that we could teach them haha. They didnt have much time so we gave them the quick version of the Restoration, and they really like it! so they asked if we could come back again. So we have an appoitment with them tomorrow!! Just a testimony builder for me of how special the children really are and how christ said we need to humble ourselves like a little child. Really cool esperience. We kept working there in 25 de mayo, and we went to contact a reference, but the house the address took us to wasnt right. But in front we talked to a man named Antonio. We told him we were missionaries, and right there he just asks us ¨can you bring hope to my soul¨? We were like we sure can. So he invited us in and we taught him the plan of salvation, and he loved it! So we are going back this week to teach him the restoration. I really hope it goes well with him!

      So kind of a funny story. The doors here in Argentina are dumb. They use big old fashioned keys, and you have to use the key to lock/unlock the doors on both sides. Wo we leave our pench and lock the door behind us. We go down the hallway to one more door that we need to unlock to get outside. I go to unlock it and some how the key gets stuck in this door and wont unlock it. We play around with the key trying to get it out and snap!! The key brakes haha! So we are locked in this hallway. We cant get out of the hallway, or into the pench haha. We sat here for 2 hours until somebody finally came and was able to call the landlord who brought some guy to fix it haha. But overall we were stuck in this hallway for 3 hours haha.

      Sounds like everything is going well at home. Jordan is really off to another softball tournament haha, she is just going all over the place!! But goodluck Jordy and Naes!! Tanno, sounds like Grandpa put you to work haha! Way to go! Those times are always tough when you are doing them. but are a great memory to look back on afterwords! Sounds like Dallins week of therapy went very well! That is awesome! And im excited to meet this new Dallin haha. A Dallin that talks a lot, that will be interesting haha! So the normal Dallin, but now has Mom´s gene haha. You know, the one that Jordan and Jess got haha! Dont worry Dad, we are careful here. But most people dont want to mess with us, since Argentines here are usually pretty small people. So im considered a pretty big guy here because of my height. Then Elder Johnson is 6´4´´, so that helps out too haha! Mom, sounds like it is a lot of fun getting ready for Seminary. But dont worry, you will do great. You always do!! Dev, congrats on this offer for the ER position. Ill be praying that you get it! You deserve it, thats for sure!! And I´m with Jess. I want some updates on these babies. (sorry you didnt get to do your fun surprise Tara haha). Like names, genders when you find out, due dates, that good stuff! Well thank you all so much for everything. I love you so much! Have a great week and I look forward to hearing from you next week!

Elder Wengert-W9

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P-Day Lunch. Elder Olaya, Elder Ayala, me, and Elder Johnson

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Another week in Rodeo del Medio!

Hello everybody!!

     Great week here in Argentina! Sounds like the reunion was beyond amazing. It would have been to experience it, but I wouldnt trade being here in Argentina for anything. And what!! Nobody told me tara is pregnant!!!!! Thanks for leaving me out of the loop. Derek is 6000 miles away, so he doesnt need to know! Haha just kidding, Im messing with you. But that is so exciting! How far along? Dallin good luck today with your first day of therapy, you will do great!! Jordy-Poo, happy birthday! You are 16, that is crazy. But you need to tell all of those boys that they need to just wait until I get home to take you on date, and even then they will have to have an interview with me to make sure they are worthy to go out with my little sis haha!! And what the!? You are now going all the way to Nevada for softball? You are just touring all of the US arent you haha. Where is next? Devin and Teddi, that sure sounded like an adventure with the two baby lambs. But the long walk was definatly part of the gift. Way to go!! So this week was way good. Wednesday we traveled to Mendoza to the offices where our zone had a meeting with President Avila. So awesome!! Afterwords he gave us all some money and sent us to mcdonals to eat. Real american food haha. And mcdonalds is super expensive here. We are talking about 70 pesos for just a regular sized meal. That would be about $14 in the states haha! But they are super busy here too. And they have security guards in them haha. Its pretty funny to see them standing there in their unfiorms.

     Well this week the work went pretty well. We found a family. And they have 5 children. They are super interested too. We are just way excited to teach them. Excpet when we knocked on their door we were covered in mud haha. On our way there a motor cycle came zooming by us and drove right through a huge mud puddle and just splashed us. covering us in the mud. We were probably quite the sight to see haha!! But they are solid, and are going back tomorrow. So there is a recent convert here in the Barrio named Said. He was baptized a week before I got here. But we have been trying to teach his little sisterm but they live so far away. It is an hour and a half bus ride, and then another hour of walking to get there. They are totally in the middle of the desert. But we found out yesterday. But she comes to church with said every sunday, so we atleast try to teach her then. But we found out yesterdat that she has been taught all of lesson. But not from us missionaries, but from her brother Said. Every night he sits her down before going to bed and they go over one of the folletas (pamphlets) and he answers any of her questions. So we should be baptizing her pretty soon after we meet with her a little more often and make sure she understands everything. But it is so awesome to see something like this happening and to have that kind of help! And Wilson, Matias, and luis are slowly coming along. The marriage papers here are super long are pretty expensive. This is why there are so many people here who live together and have a family, but arent married. It gets pretty frustrating haha. How is everything else going for everybody!! Dad, how is the clinic going? Pretty busy? and what about your new car? you still liken it!! How is good ol festus doing haha? and what about my boy Chico! I miss the dog! But I get reminded about him all the time when people here call us Chicos all the time haha! Well I hope everyone has a great week! I love you all and thank you for everything!

Elder Wengert-W9

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Elder Whal. He happnes to be from St Johns and is good friends with Zach!!

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I wasn´t able to get a picture with Valentina at the baptism, but atleast got this one!

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Hello everybody!!!

     Dallin, you are home!!!!!!! You are one crazy brother haha. Sounds like it was a great time being able to go back to the ward. Our ward really is amazing, and we have been blessed with the ability of having that great of a ward. Well great week this time. Even though Valentina didn´t count as a baptism for the mission, she asked me if I would baptize her, and it was such an amazing experience. I loved it!!! Well we have 3 investiagors named Luis, Matias, and Wilson. for all three of them their girlfriends are less active members. (they have children with eachother but arent married, and live with eacother. Huge problem here). But for passed few weeks that I have been here, they have literally been doing nothing. They wouldnt let us in or anything. So yesterday being fast sunday, Elder Johnson and I decided to fast for them. And yesterday, guess who comes walking in to church. Yes, all three of them and their wifes/girlfriends. And luis and his girlfriend live about 2 hours away from the church. We talked to them after and they want to get married. So what we are trying to get done is one big wedding for them all, and then the baptism for the husbands afterwards. So hopefully it all will work out! That would be so awesome!! Here is the down part of the week. We got fed last week on monday by an elderly couple in the ward. and it was pretty good, until that night. It was crazy, Elder Johnson and I wake up at about the same time. Like 2 in the morning, with terrible stomach pains. Yea, food poisoning haha. We took turns all night going to the bathroom and throwing up and that good stuff. Uh, the worst night of my life. We were like zombies walking around our area that night. Such a long day. But we woke up tuesday morning and were perfetly fine haha!! But yea, gotta love it haha! Well how is life at home?! The Wengert Reunion sounds like it is going to be way fun! Where is it being held at? I was so excited to hear about Paul!! How is he doing? Where is he living? Could I have his address, or at least an email for him.

That would be great! Sounds like the girls are having fun with all of their softball tournaments. Man jordan went all the way to Denver for softball! I think I may have gone farther than phoenix like once for high school sports haha! Sounds like the 4th was fun! Ours was pretty fun. We had an asado at the Gutierrez´s of course haha! But it was also their daughters birthday. So they had lots of family over. But they had us sing the national anthem for them, and I even got my first kiss in Argentina from a cute little old lady (the kisses on the cheeks when you greet someone. Most people dont do them to americans and especailly missionaries. but I dont know, not this time haha). Hey Jess, my Zone leader is named Elder Stetson Biggs from Gilbert. He said he knows you from EAC. I dont think real well but just a little bit!! And Jess, how is Derek doing tambien? Hey Jess, also ask everyone for refferals. It really works. This week we wanted to recieve and contact 15 refferals. And that is what we did. And because of that we have 12 new investigators from this week!! But of course everyone here is more than willing to let us in for the first lesson and become an investigator. The tough part is turn them into progressing.  But sounds like you are doing great!! Well sounds like you are doing well. I love you all so much and can´t thank you enough for everything. Have a great week!

Elder Wengert-W9

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Im not really sure. We were walking on the rail road tracks one night on our way back from an appoitment and started playing around haha!

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This is one of the road side Catholic saint worshipping cites. This saint is named Goucho Hill. He was an Argentine cowboy, and is Argentinas form of Robin Hood. So everybody loved him. Even to the point where after he died, they still believe he can help them. So they made him a saint and pray and worhip him. Yea, pretty crazy haha! 

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Hello everybody,

     I am so sorry about my letter last week. I´m not sure what happened. But it has been a good but long week. We were supposed to have a baptism last saturday for a little girl named Valentina who was 9 years old. Whe have her baptismal interview and she comes out with our ZL after like 2 minutes. Come to know that is she actually 8 years old and is the responsibility of the bishop now. So dissapointing. We just came home and pigged out on ice cream to cheer us back up haha. But its ok, as long as she is baptized. The work here is pretty difficult because of how so many people here are catholic and worship so many saints. Mostly because they are pretty lazy and worshiping saints is super easy. You pray to them and thats it. no action involved. It gets pretty redicilous. And it gets pretty hard because of the ciesta they have here. it usually goes from about 1-6. They are all sleeping after they eat lunch and some people get very upset if you bother them. But its ok, we are able to meet with some people during this time. There is a part member family we meet with called familia Gutierrez. The mom and 2 of the kids are members, but the dad and the other 2 kids aren´t. So we are really working with them. But they love us. They feed us at least twice a week, but they fed us 3 times last week. But Sunday Hermana Gutierrez comes us to us and hands us each a bag and is like, I know you two have been pretty cold lately, so I got you these. And in the bag is a scarf and a pair of gloves. And she is working on knitting us beanies. She is the sweetest lady ever. And she has the coolest conversion story. They have a daughter who is 19, and a few years ago she got really sick. She finally got better, but the sickness left her not all in the head, and she still kind of acts like a little girl. But for 2 years she never left the house and didnt say one work. Not even one. And then the missionaries came over and starting teaching the family and commited them to going to church. But Hermana Gutierrez was sick that morning. But her daughter comes into the room and for the first time in 2 years talks to her mom saying Mom, you told the missionaries you would go to church, we need to go! And so they went and were baptized a few weeks later!! They are the greatest family, and so close to getting the rest of them baptized here. Friday we had lunch, which is a huge meal here in Argentina, with a member family. But it is a long walk to get there. We walk out of the city about a mile into the desert, and all of a sudden a little village pops out of nowhere haha. But we get to the house and the food still wont be ready for about another 30 minutes. So their 7 year old daughter Angie brings barbies out to us so we can play with her until the food was ready. So Elder Johnson (who has a super deep voice) and I are there talking with our girlie voices playing barbies haha. It was fun haha. Excpet the whole time I could here Devin´s voice saying ´´There goes a corner of your man card haha´´. But the family was happy and we even got recieved 2 references from here. So worth it for sure haha. Jordy-poo, don´t you just love it out there in the ditch haha. So much fun. I know it isn´t easy, but let me tell you, you have a great rewarding feeling when you are done! So don´t give up on it. Finish it for me!! How is everyone else doing? How did the girls do in their basketball  tournament? Tanno, whats going on?! I will have to cook you up a real Argentine asado when I get home alright!! Best ever! Sounds like Dallin is doing so good!!! And he gets to leave the hospital soon! That is so amazing, and such a huge blessing! The Lord has sure helped you through this trial. Just keep working hard for me alright! And we will have another basketball game on the little hoop when I get home. But don´t think im going to go easy on you because of this haha! Oh, mail doesnt get devivered to our individual pench, so just mail stuff to the mission office mom. And packages will take at least a month if not like 3 months, so don´t worry about a birthday package mom. Letters will be perfect! I am doing great!! Well I hope all of you have an amazing week. Thank you for everything. Love you!!

Elder Wengert-W9

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