Just another day in Paradise 2!

Im sorry. The internet shut off here in the internet cafe. So it only sent that little bit. But we walked to a different one in the next area over. But what I was saying was that Elder Flores and I went and visited them and invited them to do a decorrido or a church tour. So we gave them a tour and they have came to church the last 3 weeks. 

   So for the big news, our area now has bikes. It is so nice!! It just makes everything and the work so much easier and more productove. And of course since Jess named her bike I had to name mine as well. So meet Maximus haha! But also for the bad news. A few things happened this week that caused us to have to change the baptismal date of Antonia to the 12 of October.  A little dissapointing, but its ok. We just need to work a little more with her! But we also have a very good investigator named Patricia. Two of her daughters who are 9 and 15 have been baptized, but she hasnt been able to because she isnt married. She wants baptism really bad and she wants to get married, but her husband wouldnt do it. But finally this pass week after we shared the family proclamation, he decided to get married. So they are getting married this week and Patricia is getting baptized on the 12 of October as well. So that was pretty excited! 

      Well my time is a little limited today and especially since the happening with the internet. But I hope you all have a great week. Oh and mom I sent my secret sib present this week. So it should be there in 2 months or so! I love you all so much!

Elder Wengert-W9

PS-Kenny thank you so much for your email and the pictures. The house looks awesome and the boys are looking great. Oh and how did you do in your old man race? haha!

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

Just another day in Paradise!

Hello everybody!

     Ah, sounds like the baptism of Dan was so good. And thank you so much for picture, I loved it! Tan Man, sounded like you did awesome rockin that organ. Dang Dad, sounds like the clinic is busy over there. That is great to hear! Momma, entravista means interview and rama means branch (since we only have a branch here in Alvear). Dad, Alvear here is mostly city with just a little bit of campo. So honestly that makes it pretty difficult for us. Most of our investigators here live out in the campo where it is a little more poor. And we do a lot, alot, and a lot of work with less-actives here. But we have had some success with them. One older couple was inactive for 10 years. Elder Flores and I visited them

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

¡Alvear 2A!

 Goodmorning mi Amor (thats what everybody calls eachother here, a little funny haha),

      Well, I hit my six month mark this week! Crazy how it has flown. But looking back I can see how much I have grown from so many different experiences both here in Argentina and at home! Man, sounds like a crazy week at home. Im so sxcited to hear about Dans baptism this Saturday! And Dallin is baptizing him, that will quite the experience. Sounds like Dan is doing so well, and is totally embracing the gospel with everything that he has! And the bbq will be nice afterwords. Maybe you can throw them an asado instead, with some carne, pollo, y churizo haha! Dad, no worries, you still have me on your side. You arent cheating, just playing it smart. But its funny, I think we got all of our competitive side from you. I remember growing up playing games for fhe like, and we would all give up and stop playing. But you alone would do do each of our turns until you won haha! Wow, MHS won again, why couldnt we have had this coaching change a while back haha! Man I am excited for Conference coming up. I think I will be able to get a tv set up in another room with some other gringo elders so we can watch it in english! Wow jess, you have a memory foam pad for your bed? That is rediculous! I didnt even have a pillow for the first 3 months here in Argentina haha!

     Well Tuesday we took the colective (bus) to San Rafael and had a meeting there with Elder Nuñez of the Seventy from Chile. This guy is incredible! He told us a story from his mission when he only had 2 months left and his mission president asked him if he was ready to leave for home yet. He told him, no! I was called for 24 months, and I will serve for 24 months! His president asked him, what do you want to do for the remainder of your mission, and Elder Nuñez said, I want to have 30 more baptisms. He didnt know how how to do this, so he was studying in the scriptures about Alma, and the desire that he had to bring every person into the fold of Christ. So he prayed and begged the Lord for this same desire. That next morning, as they left the pench, he felt that desire to talk to every person they saw. And thats what they did. Talked to every single person. He ended up not reching his goal, but he had 21 baptisms during that 2 months. it was just an incedible talk he gave.

    We went back to teach Perla this week. Im not sure what happened but she did not accept us at all. She told us to go away and not to come back. Then slammed the door. Man, it was tough to walk away from that house. We have the knowledge the she wants about her son, she doesnt know that she wants it. So we have continued to try to stop by, but havent had any luck contacting her.

    Antonia is doing great. She is 76 years old, doesnt have very much teeth, and is usually super dirty because she lives in this little tiny hous, well more like a hut. But she showed up to church yesterday all dressed up, make up, and her hair was even done. It was awesome! So we have her intravista this wednesday y the baptism is this Saturday! So we get to have a baptism together!

     So kind of a funny story. It was like 8 saturday night and we decided to stop by and see a less active family that we have been working with, they are doing super good and have come the last 2 Sundays after not going to church at all for 10 years. We do a lot of work here with less actives, a lot! But back to the story haha. We got invited in so we walk in and see 2 other guys at the table as well. They are an older couple, so we just thought it was two of their sons that we havent met or something like that. So we go and sit down with them at the table and we realize, oh man they are actually Jehovah Witnesses haha. So they gave a a quick a little message and we asked to give them a message. So we shared the Restoration and the Book of Mormon with them. Even left Book of Mormons with them and commited them to read the first chapter of 1 nephi and to pray about it. But as we were getting to leave, one of them starts chewing me out because Im gringo and I celebrate holoween haha. So we talked to him about for a few minutes and he started telling me that im of the devil and that good stuff haha. So finally we just told him, look we need to go. But Elder Flores and I were cracking up about it since he is from Mexico and holoween is a huge holiday there haha. A little crazy but funny experience as well!

     Well, I hope everybody has an amazing week! Mom, good luck with seminary, Tan Man, with all the help you are doing with moms seminary lessons you are probably already ready to serve a mission. Buy a ticket and head on over to Argentina and we can be companions haha! Good luck in volleyball and swimming Jordy and Naes. I will talk to all of you next week. I love you all!

Elder Wengert-W9

PS-Sorry about no píctures this week, a family in the rama are borrowing my camera to take pictures of their daughters wedding today. And Mom, I will have a Mission logo for you next week. I have that on my camera as well!

   

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

Photos 2

Elder Flores and I got into a little bit of trouble with the police here!! Just kidding, just some service there last saturday haha!

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

Hello from Alvear!

Hello,

     Wow, this week has been crazy! Sounds like a great busy week at home though. Dad, I sure hope you have been able to catch up on your lack of sleep. But hey, if you add up all of your naps thoughout the day that should add up to about 8 hours or so right haha just kidding! Sounds like the kids are tearing it up in sports, way to represent!! And we may have a little Clay huh? I like it! Looks like Festus has been replaced by Dolly and Retha, poor guy! Grandpa, I absolutley love that definition of faith that you sent me. Thank you! Ooh, Dad, those nachos at the u of a game sounded good haha. Just add some churizo on top and that would make it complete it haha!

     So it was super hard saying the goodbyes in Rodeo del medio. Especially when Hermana  Gutierrez starting crying when i left their house for the first time. And then with the Familia Vasquez as well. A lot harder than I was expecting!

    Well Elder Flores is a great guy and missionary. His is 25 and is from Hidalgo Mexico. Its crazy how much better my spanish already is since I forced to speak it just about 24/7 with him. Elder Flores and I are just about complete oppisites, but work well with eachother. He reminds me a lot of the quilting Elder that served at home haha. He enjoys knitting and all of that good stuff. But he is the most loving guy and is always serving me. Already twice this week I got out of the shower and there sitting next to my bed are my shoes shined and spotless. But I am excited to work with him.

     Alvear is so different than Rodeo del medio. Rodeo was so much campo and poor people. But here its more city and most the people here are a little better off! We have a branch here in Alvear, but it is a pretty good sized branch. We have many good members, but most of them are older Elderly couples. But they are so great and are willing to come out with us. There is one family that kind of takes in the missionaries here, the Familia Lucero. They have 3 daughters and remind me so much of my very own sisters. The oldest is like Tara. Kind of acts all mature and kind of like another mother haha. Then there is Yessica, and yes she is exactly like Jess and Jordan. Super loud, but fun. Then they have little sweet Malina. She doesnt talk a whole lot. but when she does its exactly like Nae Nae. Her little sweet voice and you can barely hear her haha!

    So we a few good investigators here in Alvear. One is Antonia. She is 76 years old and is hilarious. Always cracking jokes haha! But they found her right before I got here, and as soon as they taught her the first lesson she dropped all smoking, drinking, everything. And hasnt touched it since. But she came to church yesterday and loved it, and we set a fecha with her for the 28th of this month, and she is super excited for you it!

    We talked to a lady on Saturday named Perla. She is an older lady and was doing yard work in front of her house. We went and asked if we could help her and she politely declined and we just continued talking. and then we asked if she believed in Christ and this was when she got pretty angry and was saying that she kinds of believe in him, but not a lot. I could tell that she believes in him, but is angry at him right now. We later found out that she has a son who was killed by a drunk driver like 15 years ago. We told her that she can live with him again and she was like no, you have never experienced this. And she was right, i havent. But i had to use what i had. So I pulled out a picture of Tyrell and handed it to her. told her what happened, and bore testimony to her that I can live with him with him again and promised her that she could live with her son again. This softened her heart a little bit and invited us. She asked to only say a prayer for her, that she can recieve that same knowledge for herself. So we did and the tender mercy of the Lord came when she asked if we could came back. So we will be going back to see her this week again. I am super excited for that lesson haha!

     Well, I am excited for tomorrow. We have a chance to meet with one of the 70 for a meeting tomorrow in San Rafael. So we have to take the bus like 2 hours, but will be so worth it! I love you all so much and thank you for everything. Have a great week and I look forward to hearing from you next week!

Elder Wengert-W9

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

The Baptism!!

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

This is the life!!

Goodmorning everybody,

     Sounds like a typical amazing, crazy, busy week back home in the states! Thank you so much for the video Mom, even if you forgot me for the first 2 minutes. But thats ok, i forgive you haha! Amy, that dinner was looking good, you will have to make me some when I get home ok haha! And dally boy, you must be un hombre de acero, or superman to be looking this good this soon after the accident haha! But seriously, you are the man! Mom, you have to love mate here ok haha! But dont worry, I will make you a bunch when I get home and get you hooked on it as well!! Man, sounds like Dan is on fire and is just totally embracing the gospel. So amazing to see that happen, even from 6000 miles away! Tara jo, thank you so much for the pictures. My boys are studs! Fishing and everything, thats what im talking about haha! Oh and mom, you are more than welcome to share any stories, pictures, etc. with your seminary class. Anyway I can help, let me know! Dad, thank you for the football updates, both college and high school! Sounds like everyone of our teams is tearing it up! Everybody here is getting excited for the world cup coming up next year! Argentina plays Paraguay this Tuesday, so everything is probably going to just shutdown during it haha! Nae Nae, dang girl, way to go with your swimming! Keep working hard in practice and it will pay off! Jordy, wau to go with your killer serve that iv heard all about, and Tan Man, kill in football for me ok buddy! Oh, and Jordy poo, how was your date with Dally boy (the other one). I love that kid, tell him hi for me ok!! Wow, so many exciting things going on at home. Elaine is getting married too? So awesome, Im so happy for her! When is the wedding? Ah, Dad I am so excited to recieve that book. Iv been just recording quotes and stuff in my study journal, but its kind of just scattered throughout different notes. So I will be excited to be able organize my favorite ones in the book some time.

     Well this was a good week. Saturday we had the baptism of Shirley and Carla Vasquez, and it was so great! The whole rest of the family came to watch, even the father, and Said baptized them. We were stuck there all day filling that faunt again, but so worth it after the baptism. Everybody was so excited, especially Said! He was the one to first accept the missionaries and now two of his sisters have joined in with him. Soon to be his whole family in the future!! And of course after we had a nice big asado with some of the members and bishop. So good!

       So Familia Leiva is doing great! Natalia is on fire. She is doing better with smoking, only 5 a day now. And she is reading the Book of Mormon like crazy, she is just about to finish 1 Nephi. Omar pulled us aside when we were leaving after one cita, and he asked us how he can recieve an answer like his wife Natalia. So our next appoitment we taught about prayer and how to recognize answers from the Lord! Unfortunately they werent able to come to church yesterday because of car problems, but they are doing great. Seriously a family a gold!

      So kind of a funny, scary, and sad experience yesterday. We were walking to a cita through 25 de mayo, the more rough part of the area. But this lady called us over to her, and so was so drunk. She started yelling at us about how we are of the devil because we were dressed in ties and white shirts. She was tugging on our ties like Jessie would do to me and told us to throw them into the garbage. She tried telling us how Maria, the mother of Jesus, partook of the fruit in the Garden of Eden, and then after she grabbed my plack and tried to throw it into the asakia. or their ditches/sewage system here. Luckily I was able to grab it back from her before she did. But it was just so sad, because her son had passed away recently, and that is why she was drinking and mad at God. Finally we had to just walk away because she was getting out of hand and makind a scene.

      Well, now for the real news. We finished the transfer last week, and I recieved that call from the ZL´s, yep Im getting transfered. I am leaving Wednesday for Alvear, all the way down South of Mendoza. Like a 5 hour bus ride haha! And I will be serving with Elder Flores from Mexico. Im not going to lie, I really didnt want to leave Rodeo yet, I had so many great famalies that I didnt want to leave. I wanted to work more with and see baptized the Familia Leiva and the rest of the Familia Vasquez. But at the same time I am super excited! This will be my firs latin comp which should really help my spanish.

     Well, thank you so much for everything. I hope you have a great week, and I will talk to you next week from Avear. I love you all!

Elder Wengert-W9

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

¡Jesucristo!

It´s pretty funny, there is graffiti like this all over the place!

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

¡Life is Good!

Hello,

      Where to start haha! First of all we had a a meeting with the Zone Leaders this week who had just gotten back from the offices, so you know what that means. Mail time!!! Grandma I recieved your packages, and thank you so much! Love listenng to conference whenever I get the chance! And that night we cooked the cookies and had a delicious snack of mate and the cookies. Yes, I officially love mate. It is so good! I have a cup of it just about every morning for breakfast haha! But Jess, oh I mean Sister Wengert, I got your package as well! Thank you so much for everything! I am rocking the skinny as we speak haha! But seriously, thank you!! And then Trish and Gordon, I recieved your letters as well! Thank you so much, sounds like your family is doing so good. And Bishop Merayo, how am I not suprised! You are going to do awesome che haha! And Dan is getting baptized! Man, thank is seriously so awesome! The Lord prepares so many people for this gospel, and it is so much fun to watch those people change as they acccept it! Dang Dad and Dallin going to the D-backs game. Those are seriously so much fun. And the tickets for only $5. Where were the seats at? Tara, the boys are looking so good and as cute as ever! How can you get mad at those faces when you catch them coloring on the carpet? And Ty, atta boy! Power Rangers is where its at buddy! And then last but not least, Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! 31 short years together. Thank you so much for everything you both do and for your examples to me. I love you!!

       So this week we went back and taught Natalia the Plan of Salvation. But the miracle happened when her husband Omar, who never would even talk to us and told us to leave the first time he saw us, came and sat down and listened with her. The lesson when so great and I know they both felt the spirit. Omar asked us when we could come back, so we set a return appoitment for the next thursday. But during the lesson Omar had smoked 4 cigarettes, and started his 5th as we were leaving. So we asked him if he would like to quit smoking, and his was like ´´oh I would love to´´. So we sat down with them again and taught the word of wisdom. We created a calender for them of how they are going to slowly smoke less and less each day and we left them with that. We came back Thursday and Omar had cut down from 30 a day down to 10, and Natalia went from 15 down to 7. So they are doing so well and love everything we are sharing with them. Then Friday we just tried stopping by and and Natalia answers the door so excited and invites us in. We sit down and she tells us ´´I read more from the Book of Mormon and prayed like you told me to do, and I felt the burning, I felt it Elders!!´´. She had recieved her answer. Then yesterday Natalia, Omar, and one of their sons Alam all showed for church. They loved it and want to come again next week! It has been amazing to see their change and their progression over just the past week! Truly incredible!

      Along with The Leiva family (Natalia and family) we had the familia Vasquez and another investigator, Matias, attend church. So we had 8 investigators at church. It was so amazing. Elder Fox and I were so excited and the ward was on fire. Everything in this area is booming! And now forthe news! The father of Familia Vasquez is home! But along with this is some sad news! At first he not only gave his permission, but wanted to get baptized as well. We had plans to baptise all 5 of them this Saturday. But yesterday we found out that Hermana Vasquez and her husband are not married. Nooo, dagger through my heart! This is such a huge problem here. So now the parents cant get baptized yet and the oldest daughter Lizbet wants to wait and get baptized with her mother. But the two other daughters Shayle and Carla were like ´´we have been waiting months for this, we are getting bapptized this saturday.´´ So even though its not all 5, we are stilling haveing a baptism for two this saturday. And Hermana Vasquez is going to talk to her husband/boyfriend/partner, whatever he is acually consideerd about marriage. So give them some time. They will get baptized eventually!

       Well the work is going great here in Rodeo del Medio in this season of mine! I have never been happier than here preaching the gospel. There really is no joy like bringing someone the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thank you so much for everything. I love you all so much!

Elder Derek Wengert-W9

      

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.