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Playing a bit of fútbol this morning for pday!!

¡¡Quines!!

   Hello everybody!! I hope you all are grateful for Thanksgiving, because I sure miss it haha! But now worries, being here in the missions is worth every second of it. Just make to sure to eat lots and lots of pie for me! Tan Man, I am also pretty jealous that you got to meet Lute Olsen. There arent very many coaches out there like that man. Jordy and Naes, way to go with spirit days and sports! And Jordan, you looked just like Buddy the Elf haha! Dad, college football is sounded super exciting! Mom, I look forward to teaching seminary with you and we can be companions haha. The best companion ever! Wow it is crazy to hear how everybody is coming home now! But who look is the lucky to be here, this guy!!!

    Well this was another incredible week! To begin, yesterday was the primary program here in Pringles. And I got to be the lucky one to play the piano for them (mostly because i am the only one who plays haha!. But it is just amazing to see how strong and powerful these children. Also a huge example of Christs teaching about how we need to humble ourselves and become like little children to obtain the kingdom of God! Sure, at times they are a little rowdy and crazy, but they are even more pure and special!

    So Darío is doing great! He hasnt smoked since we taught him the word of wisdom, which was about a week ago. So everything is looking good towards his baptism on Saturday. He just needs to keep going strong during this week. So please keep those prayers coming. I know they are helping him so much, along with Elder Rabanales and I! We werent able to see Javier and Estefani this week because of the work schedule of Javier. So we havent been able to really verify with them and see how they are doing. But hopefully this week! But we found another family this week, Familia Jofré/Diaz (kind of a mixed family), through a very interesting experiance haha! On thursday we were working in a part of our area on the outskirts of the city. It is the more poorer part of our area. But we were looking for the house of an inactive family. But a pretty sketchy looking guy named Cristain Jofré, stepped in front of us asking us who we were and what we do. To help you picture it a little better he has a pretty crazy limp (later we found out he had been shot in the leg last week haha) and a huge scar going down from his ear to his chin. So we explained to him about us as missionaries and after he told us ´´I knew you were specail. I need your help because I want to change and be better´´. So Cristian took us to his house and as we entered 3 more guys were in there waiting for us, all of them looking just like Cristain. One had this big white patch over his eye and another had his arm all wrapped up. Long story short, we sat down with all four of them and the Mom of Cristian, and we taught them all. All of them are tired of how they are living, filled with theft and drugs, and truly want to change. Then on Saturday, we were able to teach Cristain again where when we asked how he was he answered saying ´´man, i have been so good since you guys passed by´´. And at the end of the lesson he asked us ´´so what do I need to do to get baptised?´´. So now he is working towards a baptismal date on the 27th of December. It will definatly be a long repentence process for him, but he is willing and able! What a blessing to be part of such a change in somebody!

    The last miracle of the week happened yesterday during church. Bishop Rojas called us into his office along with an older couple that were recently called as ward missinonaries, Hermano and Hermana Coco. He asked us to open up a new section of San Luis to the gospel, called Quines. It is about a 3 hour drive from here in Pringles, so pretty far. There is one family, the Familia Rosa, that live there in Quines. They make the 3 hour drive every other sunday to come to church. So now Hermano and Hermana Coco have been specailly called to help us get out to Quines where missionaries have never worked before. We are seriously so excited to head out there. Literaly just like little kids on Christmas morning. What a special blessing to open a brand new area like this. Who knows, maybe one day in the future there will be a branch or ward there in Quines!

    Well, things are going great here in San Luis, and so much of this success is coming from all of your prayers for us. Thank you so much for everything you do. I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Elder Wengert - W9

Photos

1. The whole mission with Elder Christofferson

2. La Zona San Luis

Just another day Pringles!

   Hello once again. I dont know how it is Monday already, but hey its here again. Sounds like everybody is doing good. Tan, way to ball it up on the court. Start working now to block dads fade away shot (it´s the only move he has haha). Jordy and Naes, good luck with your scrimmages this week. Im sure you will be looking good on the court with your SICK shoes like Jordan said haha! I bet it was so great spending the week with sweat little Beau! All this kids are getting so big, I cant believe it! The temple dedication sounded awesome as well. There is a temple here in Argentina, in Cordoba, that should be done fairly soon. Being just to the right of San Luis, it would make trips so much easier for members here. They always travel about 14 hours to Buenos Aires, or about 8 hours into Chile. So that temple will be a huge blessing for everybody here! I cant believe that Sara is home and that Aubrey gets home on Friday. Just shows how precious the time is here on the mission! Dad, i remember talking to Dan Post about that first Branch here in Mendoza. Now in Mendoza there are 4 stakes and 2 districts. Just shows how miracles come from planting that first seed. 

   Well, this was really a great week. Darío is really doing great as well! We taught him the word of wisdom on Saturday and have now started with him to quit smoking. But if you could keep him in your prayers, i would really appreciate it! Things have gotten a little more complicated with the Familia Caballero. Even after the Book of Mormon experience where we know he felt the spirit very strongly, Luis has kind of turned his back to the church. So more than anything we wanted to show them that we are here to serve and to love them. So we got to go over with them and do some service for them. They are building an apartment behing their house to rent out, so we went over there on Friday and worked with them for a few hours. It was a lot of fun and hopefully gained a little more of their trust! Hermana Ana was planning on coming to church on Sunday with their 5 kids, but they ended up not coming and we dont know why. But we will be passing by their house soon and hopefuly we can clear up some doubts and be those guides that we are meant to be!

    This week we also found some way solid new investigators. A few of them are the Famila Blanco. We knocked their door and allowed us to come back another day. We taught them the Restauration and the dad, Javier, right off the back accepted a baptismal date for the 13 of December. His wife, Estafani, is a little tougher and didnt accept the invitation. But that is alright. Just a mixture of time and the spirit will fix that right up!

   So to end with kind of a funny story, and im sure im going to hear all about this from Tan, Jordan, and Naes. But this week i kind of got in a fight with a tree. The sidewalks here are pretty torn up most of the time so to keep from tripping or falling you always keep your eyes focused on the ground. And so yea i was stairing at the ground and didnt see the low branch of the tree that caught me right in the head haha. But it wasnt too bad. Not too much blood and my hair coffers up the cut so nobody can even see it. But no worries. No tree of any size can take this missionary out!! I hope you all have another great week and I look forward to hearing from you next monday!

Elder Wengert-W9

Re: What a Week!!!

Oh just kidding, I just realized that Dad sent me President Kartchners email. But thank you so much, love you all!!

On Mon, Nov 10, 2014 at 11:04 AM, Derek Wengert <derek.wengert@myldsmail.net> wrote:

  Hello!!! So where do I even begin today! First of all, how did my package already get there, holy cow! 1 month, that has got to be a mission record right there! Tan Man, you are such a baller! You had to play against a 6´3´´ guy, wow! Makes me rembember when i had to play against a 7´1´´ guy in a summer tournament. Yea, a little rediculous haha! Mom, i got my social security number, so thank you so much! Jess, why are you getting surgery on your shoulder? Does it have to do with you accident on during your mission? Tara Jo, tell those boys of yours to stop growing. I seriously cant believe it!!! Jordy and Naes, Dozier is your new basketball coach? I bet that is pretty interesting, but tell him hi for me haha! I also cant believe that Zack and Sara are home, that is rediculous!! If you could, it would be great to get an email for Sara! Oh and I also need the email for President Kartchner and I will be flying to the Tucson Airport right? 

   So you were all right, this was the week of the Conference with Elder Christofferson, and it was absolutely incredible. There is nothing like being in the presence of a special witness of Christ, and especially one of His apostles. We were gathered as the whole mission, which never happens here. It was the first time in years that he whole mission was gathered together. But Elder Christofferson allowed us all to come up one by one to shake his hand (and his wifes) and introduce ourselves. What a special moment to take his hand and look him in the eyes and get that personal confirmation that he truly is an apostle of Jesus Christ. Since he served his mission here just a few years ago under the authority of his mission president, Elder Richard G. Scott, it was a special time for him as well. It was definatly a time that one truly cannot forget!

   I was also able to spend a little bit of time in Rodeo de la Cruz. Unfortanetly i didnt get to see any of my converts. I was really hoping to get to visit Melisa Carletti, but she happened to be out of town. But I at least got to talk to her on the phone. But we did get to visit the Familia Vega, an inactive family that we reactivated during my time there. We were walking towards there house when i hear somebody yelling ´´Wengert!!´´. So I turn and see Marcelito, the 5 year old of Familia Vega, running towards us and he just jumps into my arms haha. It really was a special moment that helped realized the little impact i was able to cause with that family and others during these last 20 months! 

   Everything is also going great here in Pringles! Elder Rabanales and I had an amazing experience this week in regards to the Book of Mormon, causing my testimony of the this special book to grow so much. We had a lesson last week with the Familia Caballero and we decided to read 1 Nefi 1 and apply it personally to them and there family. So that was exactly what we did and during the process, we could literally see the heart of Luis, the husband, changing. He started to read ahead so he could learn more and at the end of the lesson he told us ´´alright, we cant come to church this sunday, but next sunday we will be there´´. What an incredible blessing to have the guidance of the Lord through the teachings of His prophets in the Bood of Mormon! Darío is also doing great as well. This week we will begin the process of quiting smoking, but he is still progressing well towards his date on the 29th!

   Thank you so much for everything that each of you do. The mission isnt easy at all, but when you have a familiy behind you 1000% of the time cheering me on, it is so much easier. I love you all so much and hope you have a great week!!

Elder Wengert-W9

What a Week!!!

  Hello!!! So where do I even begin today! First of all, how did my package already get there, holy cow! 1 month, that has got to be a mission record right there! Tan Man, you are such a baller! You had to play against a 6´3´´ guy, wow! Makes me rembember when i had to play against a 7´1´´ guy in a summer tournament. Yea, a little rediculous haha! Mom, i got my social security number, so thank you so much! Jess, why are you getting surgery on your shoulder? Does it have to do with you accident on during your mission? Tara Jo, tell those boys of yours to stop growing. I seriously cant believe it!!! Jordy and Naes, Dozier is your new basketball coach? I bet that is pretty interesting, but tell him hi for me haha! I also cant believe that Zack and Sara are home, that is rediculous!! If you could, it would be great to get an email for Sara! Oh and I also need the email for President Kartchner and I will be flying to the Tucson Airport right? 

   So you were all right, this was the week of the Conference with Elder Christofferson, and it was absolutely incredible. There is nothing like being in the presence of a special witness of Christ, and especially one of His apostles. We were gathered as the whole mission, which never happens here. It was the first time in years that he whole mission was gathered together. But Elder Christofferson allowed us all to come up one by one to shake his hand (and his wifes) and introduce ourselves. What a special moment to take his hand and look him in the eyes and get that personal confirmation that he truly is an apostle of Jesus Christ. Since he served his mission here just a few years ago under the authority of his mission president, Elder Richard G. Scott, it was a special time for him as well. It was definatly a time that one truly cannot forget!

   I was also able to spend a little bit of time in Rodeo de la Cruz. Unfortanetly i didnt get to see any of my converts. I was really hoping to get to visit Melisa Carletti, but she happened to be out of town. But I at least got to talk to her on the phone. But we did get to visit the Familia Vega, an inactive family that we reactivated during my time there. We were walking towards there house when i hear somebody yelling ´´Wengert!!´´. So I turn and see Marcelito, the 5 year old of Familia Vega, running towards us and he just jumps into my arms haha. It really was a special moment that helped realized the little impact i was able to cause with that family and others during these last 20 months! 

   Everything is also going great here in Pringles! Elder Rabanales and I had an amazing experience this week in regards to the Book of Mormon, causing my testimony of the this special book to grow so much. We had a lesson last week with the Familia Caballero and we decided to read 1 Nefi 1 and apply it personally to them and there family. So that was exactly what we did and during the process, we could literally see the heart of Luis, the husband, changing. He started to read ahead so he could learn more and at the end of the lesson he told us ´´alright, we cant come to church this sunday, but next sunday we will be there´´. What an incredible blessing to have the guidance of the Lord through the teachings of His prophets in the Bood of Mormon! Darío is also doing great as well. This week we will begin the process of quiting smoking, but he is still progressing well towards his date on the 29th!

   Thank you so much for everything that each of you do. The mission isnt easy at all, but when you have a familiy behind you 1000% of the time cheering me on, it is so much easier. I love you all so much and hope you have a great week!!

Elder Wengert-W9

Time flying!!

    Well hello!! I think the weather here is a little confused. Last week i was telling you how hot it has been so far, and we are only in spring. Well this week i think we had just about every type of weather you can have except for snow haha. One day it was blazing hot, then the next day we were freezing all day, and then a beautiful spring day, and now it has been raining for the last 2 days. So its a little suprise every morning we wake up haha. Sounds like Halloween was a lot of fun for everybody. Tara and Tj, i loved your superhero family haha. and Mom, thank you so much for the pictures as well, but i didnt recieve your email. And to answer everybodys questions, Argentine doesnt celebrate Halloween and so we didnt do anything on friday and it was just a normal day for us here in the mission field haha! Tara, thank you so much for the testimony of grandpa. I loved reading it so much!!

    So anther transfer has come on gone here in San Luis. But not too much change with this new transfer. Elder Rabanales and I are both staying here together in Pringles. We have a lot of good things going for us here in the area, so i am actually really happy that im staying. Well this week is going to be awesome. On Thursday we have consejo, or the leadership meeting with Presidente Goates, then saturday we have the special conference with Elder Christofferson. But since both are there in Mendoza, it doesnt make any since to travel back to San Luis after consejo and then the next day make the 5 hour trip again. So on Friday, Elder Rabanales and I recieved permission to spend the day in our old area of Rodeo de la Cruz. So that wil be a lot of fun to be able to visit some converts and some of the members. But of course that takes us out of our area for 3 days, which is a lot of time. That is the only bummer! Because we have been finding like crazy these past 2 weeks, and for once our calender is just completely full of lessos to teach and people to visit. These week we found a wonderfull family, familie Cabellero. The mom, Ana, is seriuosly so prepared and so willing to complete with her commitments. Her husband (well boyfriend), Luis, is a little more tough on the other hand. He is super nice and allows us to enter the house, he just has a lot doubts because of experiences in other churches and refuses to believe anything. Even though though they have been living together for 13 years and now have 5 kids, he still doesnt want to get married because he doesnt think it is necessary. But you know what, the gospel is here exactly for this. To take away doubts and replace them with hope. So we are really excited to keep working with them. We also found another great guy named Darío Gomez. A family in the ward has brought him to church with them the last 2 sundays and we were finally able to get in with him yesterday. He is a great guy with a lot of desires to be better, but also a typical 19 year old guy outside of the church here in Argentina. But he is now working towards a baptismal date for the 29 of this month. Unfortunatly we passed by Juana this week and her family and other people has filled her mind with false doctrine about the church, and she  now refuses to even talk to us. Poor lady!! 

     Well, it shocks me everyday how much i really have left. And today i recieved the paperwork from the offices to fill out for when i get home on March 11. And in order to fill those out i need the email of President Kartchner and where i will be flying to, the tucson airport right? Well, im glad to hear that everybody is doing so well. I love you all so much and look foraward to hearing from you next week!!

Elder Wengert-W9