Thursday is flight day.

Josh is at last going to get on a plane and fly off to Bahia Blanca Argentina. He is very excited. He called earlier today to give us his flight plans. We loved talking to him. The luggage is all well under the weight limit. He needs some face wash and his SD card returned, along with a longer list of addresses. We will try to get those things to him tomorrow.

This is so fun. Please pray for his safe arrival in the mission. Josh has been on a plane ride before, but he was only 18 months old. This will be his first plane trip to be remembered. I think he will love it.

Flight plans for October 1, 2009
Depart SLC International Airport 8:00 a.m. October 1, 2009
Arrive Dallas Fort Worth Airport 3:35 p.m. October 1, 2009

Call family at home in Orem while on layover at the Dallas Fort Worth Airport.

Depart Dallas Fort Worth Airport 7:35 p.m. October 1, 2009
Arrive Buenos Aires Argentina Airport 8:30 a.m. October 2, 2009

Signing off for now,
The Mama

Exciting news folks. I'll just post the information straight from Josh's email today.

"HI!!!!
Ok, first off before anything I'm telling you the exciting thing that has happened. Guess who gets to stay in the MTC until October?!?! Yup, me. With Elder Jones. The rest of our district is going stateside. Tennesse, Illinois, and Salt Lake (yeah, E. Cox is going to SLC, he is SO mad about it. It's kinda fun to tease him about how he'll speak english...) But yeah, 27 missionaries are being reassigned.

Why did this happen? Well, we have to wait for the consul to come again and sign
our horadas (saying we're not criminals in ARG) and then we get our visas a few
days later. Why wasn't this done earlier? No idea. But Elder Jones and I were the lucky two who are staying here for some unfathomable reason. We're actually the only two who HAVE are horadas already, so it's for sure we're leaving a few days after
the 29 of sep. (when Mr. Consul comes again) So, we'll probably just attend class with the district under us and have alot of study time... This is my 3rd companion already, and I haven't left the MTC.
AGHGHGHGHGHGHGHG.
And please, please don't tell me there is a reason I'm staying here. That maybe
I'm supposed to touch someone's life in the RC or another missionary. I think it's because Jones and I are the last in the alphabet of Bahia Blancans. Anyways..."

He could sure use lots of letters to make the next couple of weeks less miserable. Josh is excited for the plane ride which will be his first ever. He sounds happy other than the delay. He is working hard.

Signing off for now,
The Mama

A little ditty for your ears from week #2 of the mission

Apparently I am not doing this quite right. I've spent the past 30 minutes trying to upload a video and it is just not going to work out. I need some lessons.

How about later today when I receive an email I post that instead? Thanks for your understanding.

As a note of interest, you only have one week left to send letters and packages to the MTC. After that he will be somewhere else in the world. Hoping to post later today where that will be. The UPS store by Albertson's on Center Street in Orem has same day package delivery to the MTC everyday for only $2.00. You have to drop them off by 1:30 p.m.

Signing off for now,
The Mama

Here’s a letter for you all to enjoy.

I thought you might all enjoy reading the email we received today from Elder Wartena. He sounds so happy. We got a few pictures on Monday. He was sporting a cute lava-lava skirt and a wrapped ankle. Guess he is having fun. He is looking just as cute as ever.

 

Thanks for all the letters family! Missionaries love getting mail!

 

Well, it's been a big week, so I'm just going to hit the bigger things and mail you all actual letters.

 

Guess who talked to an apostle this week? Yup, me.

 

I'll come back to that.

 

I've been called to be District Leader! Well, it's not official, but yeah, it's exciting. We're going to be the oldest district on Monday, and I'll be hosting new missionaries and wed. It seems too odd, I just met my host, and now I'm going to host.

 

Elder Scott came and spoke to us at the Tue night devotional, and E. Savage and I were Three-point range from him!!! 5th row, it's a good story how we got there. We both felt like we should go down before the meeting started (we had no idea who it was) so we made our way down about half way and then some seats that were reserved opened up and we ran to get them. Then the music director said "we don't stand for the hymns, we only stand when an Apostle walks in" Yeah, it was AWESOME. Singing called to serve and then we all stand up. His talk was on following the spirit too, so we felt cool. His testimony was the most incredible thing I've ever heard...Also, I'm going to be fine on my mission. He said 2 things specifically. "I would like to exercise a right of an apostle and confer upon you the gift of tongues" "I invoke a blessing of protection according to your obedience, judgement, and sensitivity. As an Apostle I invoke this blessing in the name of Jesus Christ." And since Tuesday it has been much easier to think/listen/speak Spanish. We feel really cool...Especially me! I got to talk into on of the microphones and answer one of his questions he was asking. (he had a few missionaries come to the microphones we have on the floor and talk)

 

Que mas...?

Teaching in Spanish is going well, we're all getting better. Elder Savage is

getting much better at being confident in the language, we're all very proud of him.

 

Bad news. The district above us that is leaving for ARG doesn't have their

visas. Nor have any missionaries that have left lately. They are sending them

all stateside until their visas come. So....that's probably what will happen to me. It could be good though! Maybe I'll go to Missouri, Independence, Spanish speaking?

 

There is an Elder Mcqueen here! That's for Ben and Joe, thought of them.

 

Ok, thank heaven for R&S grammar. (I know, who would have thought I would ever say that...) A good (or at least basic) background in parts of speech help so

much. We're learning subjunctive, which is an absolutely ridiculous tense, but it makes sense because I know what Independent and Dependent clauses are!!!

 

So, the Family: A Proclamation to the world is very cool.

 

Cool thing I learned

 

Jerusalem

Jeru=Nuevo Salem=Cuidad de paz

 

Technoctitlan=Cuidad del Dios

 

The temple was great today! We did an endowment session, and I learned alot!

I've been studying about baptism and the millennium, and there is alot of cool

stuff to learn! Reading D&C 76, Moses 6 and 7 (I think it's 7 at least...) Jesus the Christ, Articles of Faith.

 

I also finished Our Heritage as well. I think I want to learn more about church history. One of our teachers, Hermano Oswald, knows a TON about Church history and stories, and it's amazing. Did you know the church was basically shut down in the late 1800s because of problems with polygamy and the government? All the brethren were in hiding under SLC, and the only real functioning branch of the church was the Primary! The primary kept the Church alive, essentially.

 

Hmmmm, not much else happened, guess it wasn't that big of a week...

I'll be writing to respond to the letters. Sorry, I don't have enough time to do it here.

 

Would you like another spiritual/scriptural thing? I feel like I should have one for you. The beginning of Helaman? What are your thought on the first 5 or so chapters?

 

Well, I'm going to go grab something to eat before laundry and letter time.

I love you all! Have a great week.

 

Your missionary, brother, son, and full-time servant and representative of the Lord Jesus Christ!

 

Elder Joshua Duveau Wartena

 

Hope you enjoyed that. We sure did. Thanks for all your support.

Signing off for now,

The Mama

Email at last!

Email arrived this morning--finally. Apparently the computer freaked out, so he will hand write the rest of letter. We are just grateful to know he is well.
Blessing to all.

Signing off for now,
The Mama

No email today

I hoped to be able to update with news from Josh today; but, alas, there was no email received today. Also no hard copy mail. As a result I sit here in tears at 6 p.m. wondering if he is okay. My heart lives for the email each Friday. There is also usually 1 letter minimum each week. This is probably harder to take because Jeff and Chris and Nate are gone camping this week with no phone reception. Aren't I such a baby?

If anything arrives tomorrow I will be sure to post an update that is happier than this one. My current comment for anyone who asks, "How's it going?" is "This SUCKS!"

Signing off for now,
The Mama

We got pictures!

He is having a blast learning spanish and making new friends. Josh tells us that they can eat as much as they want at the MTC, so why is he trying to eat his name tag?
This is his companion, Elder Cox. If you would like to write him a letter or send a package we hear he would be grateful as none are currently coming to him.



Here we see Josh's district up at the Provo Temple taking pictures. I wish I could figure out how to upload the video of the boys singing. It is a riot. Well, I will update more later this week.
Signing off for now,
The Mama