Only 4 days till the Mother's Day Call--and All is Well.

We are very excited here as we anticipate the arrival of Mother's Day.  Yes a call from Josh will be coming, one of two we get each year.  Wish us well connecting.  We wish you all a Happy Mother's Day as well.

HI!

Ok, so we were in centro for pday, and got back late, had to change, and don't have alot of time. Normally I would feel bad, but...I'm calling you in 4 days so I don't.

WOOT!

I will tell you about all our investigadors sunday, deal? Remind me to tell you about Javier and all the lessons, Nancy/moving and taking the cigarettes away from her, the hippie, and Hermana Gigli.

That is all about the investigadors. (Oh, and I caught an awesome pass in the end zone of the beach today, Dad can be proud.)

Bday, ok I have a list actually

Dickies work pants, my black pants are begining to get nearly see through thin in the rear

Marshmallows

 

That is all.

 

I paid for the doctor visit with personal money, which is what you have to do for the eye doctor. The mission will pay for other doctors, but eyes no. It cost about 25 dollars to get a complete check up. It was cool though, he used these hand lenses and had a huge box of them.

Speaking of birthdays, I have your's and Nathan's presents, they will come home with Elder Palmer.

 

Thank you for the garlic and onion stuff! I took some garlic the other day and was really wondering how I could just get some oil and well, everything you sent me. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

 

Thanks for the info about Sadie. I'm very glad to know she is ok.

 

Ok, so I was talking to E Palmer about the best people in the Book of Mormon, or ones I really liked. Nephi is probably on my top 5, just...amazing. Yeah, I don't know how to explain my thoughts on that, but I really want to meet him after this life.

I felt the Spirit reading your testimony, Mom.

Did you know you are a missionary, it's true. You have 6 converts, us!

The church is true, and God loves us more than we can comprehend. If we all remember and feel His love it will turn our all right.

 

Ok, I have to go, but I will talk to you soon!

Love you

Your missionary son

Elder Wartena

Signing off for now,

The Mama

Surprise call. . .shh.

Oh, how I love Josh's Mama in Argentina.  She is great, and a sneak.  She and I share the same birthday.  She dialed up my cell phone on my birthday.  Then when it worked she handed it to Josh and surprised us both with a call.  The 2 minute 6 second call cost 35 minutes on my cell phone--Eeek, but was well worth it.  Enjoy the new email and have a great day.

Signing off for now,
The Mama  (in the USA)

Haha, I will tell you the story.

We were waiting for her (Mama in Argentina's) b-day dinner and she asked, ''You got to call your Mom today, right?'' 

"No, I will in 2 weeks though!"

''That is just horrible, what is her number Elder, I am at least going to send her a message, she deserves that, the wonderful woman. This is me, not you, don't worry.'' 

I gave her your number not thinking there was a chance of a cell phone in a concrete house in Argentina getting to your's in UT. 

''I don't know if that went through, I will try and call her, does she understand spanish?'' 

"Yeah, sure, she understands, go for it."   

I did NOT think this was going to work, actually, no one did. Her son, and 2 of his friends (one male, one female) were there, too, and we were just talking when you answered!!! 

She said, ''Hello,'' and then looked at me and gave me the phone.  ''Talk to your mother elder!''

I thought I heard Dad saying I shouldn't talk to you and realized that it was probably an expensive call, that is why I cut it short!  It was so nice to talk to you. Both girls in the room kept talking about your screaming and how much I was smiling. Elder Palmer thought it was just great too (he called his Mom on her b-day as well to say hi)

Yeah, happy birthday, Mom. Your present is coming home with Elder Palmer, along with Ben's, and Sadie's.

So, I am going to buy about 30, 40 pesos of phone cards here and use that to call, it should be alot cheaper. Don't be suprised if you get another call a few days before to make sure they work and don't eat up the minutes. (the 2 minute call used 7 pesos here!)

Elder Pranter was one of the best missionaries I ever met. Great district leader, he LOVED his mission. To a point that is inspiring. He was NOT going to go before (we kinda knew each other before the mish) He was the lead guitarist in a heavy metal band, was making a TON of money at his job,(hence the NICE car) and several other things. Gave it all up and COMPLETELY changed. He even had hair before...

Story time!

Ok, not much of a story this week. But Nancy came to church! We kinda taught her again in the street (she wasn't there when we went over, but we called and got an appt. for later.) It went well! She likes the church, and her husband and father in law read the BoM too!

Javier and Paola and still good! Javier read and prayed and really liked it! I told you about them right? If I didn't, remind me, I will tell you next week. He then started asking questions about death and stuff. Cue, plan of salvation this week. HAHAHA. If only they were married...

So, I was kinda feeling bad for not having alot of ''success'' awhile ago. (we had divisions with our new dist. leader this week, did not help...ugh. I will tell you about that in a letter, as I am not supposed to share negative stuff over email. Sufficent to say, well Elder Palmer said it. ''We work so much smarter, oh, the whole time I was thinking ''where is Wart? We wouldn't doing this right now!'' I was doing the same thing.)

Because of what the Lord has allowed us to do in this area, we have:

Introduced the gospel to 14 people who have come to church, read, kept commitments, and would be baptised if they were married or older and able to be.

Reactivated one of the best families in the ward nad baptised their son

Helped a new ward missionary program get on it's feet and actually work

And lots of other stuff

I stopped feeling bad for not knocking doors all day long. 

:D

Holy cow, look how the times flies, I should have learned to type faster, you were so right.

I love your spiritual thoughts btw.

I found a new great missionary scripture! D&C 24:8

''and if God be for us, who can be against us?'' (that is in Romans I think...yeah)

Remember the Lord is always with you, Mom, ask to feel his spirit when you are down.

Hugs and kisses from Argentina, I will talk to you soon.

Love you all.

Your missionary son

Elder Joshua Wartena

Read the Book of Mormon in two weeks

Here is a fun letter.  It also has a very nice spiritual moment.  Enjoy!

Signing off for now,

The Mama

Haha, we tried to make a cake this week! Well, cinnamon rolls, it failed miserably!!! Probably something to do with substituting ingredients and possibly bad yeast.

So, I love the photos! I used to ride that bus to school every day. Now I ride buses in Argentina almost every day! The difference, a bus here costs about 50 cents...

Well, mirá vos. I was just telling E Palmer about how you guys are doing the house. That's cool! I am excited to come back to a different house.

Jealous of your weather btw, it is very cold here. Or at least getting there. If there is sun and the wind stops blowing, not that bad, but brrrrrr! I am thankful for bringing good clothes.

 

This week I finished the book of mormon! The mission wanted us to read it in 30 days...I got stuck studying 2 nephi, as usual. So I essentially read it in 2 weeks, half english, half spanish. Now I am going to finish it all in spanish. Really interesting reading it FAST fast. You see how it all works together, how the problem is nearly all the same, and the solution too. It's the same today! While I was reading, I saw Jehovah's Witnesses with the Zoramites, the wards here in the Nephites (not at the Nephites' good times) heard General Conference all over again with Jacob, King Benjamin, and Alma. Was reminded of Pres Deflefsen in Mormon and Moroni, and wanted to write in my journal after Nephi.

It's just so good!

I will tell you a spiritual experience. We were street contacting, not exactly the funnest part of the work, but we needed to find people. After going through the normal I'm too busy, I'm catholic, and the random crazy religious person you always seem to find, we were walking down a street, when we saw a lady a block or so down a cross street and both kept walking. Well, about 5 ft later we both turned around in unison and said, ''Alright!  We'll go talk to her.''  We just knew that we should. I don't know how the spirit always talks to us, or how we respond, or how it sounds. But as a missionary you just KNOW you have to do something. Sometimes it doesn't matter how loud it is outside, you KNOW without any shadow of a doubt that you HAVE to do something.

This happens on probably a daily basis, whether it be studying something, seeing someone, or going somewhere. Something doesn't always happen, but as a missionary I feel like that is the strongest impressions of the Spirit we have on a regular basis.

Oh, this lady is awesome! She said we could walk with her and her 1 yr old to the park (she was pushing a stroller) and talk with her. Then she started asking us questions about the church, what we believed, and we pretty much taught the 1st lesson, gave her a book of mormon, talked about the family, and walked with her to her house too. (it was getting dark, and there were alot of...not good looking people out, we would have walked her home anyway. But, she wants us to come back saturday (she is married too! AGH!!!!) and teach more. She likes how we talked about the family being together forever. Her name is Nancy! WOOHOO!

 

I think the resting part is the hardest too.

 

So yeah, that's about all the exciting things that happened this week. I mean, a little dog bit my ankle then ran before we could kick it (no broken skin, no worries) the eye doctor told me my eyes are perfect, but should go to a regular doctor, I walked in the atlantic ocean again today, and we had the Gigli family's friends at church, along with Martin's gma! I will keep you updated as we teach them!. :D

 

We're still doing well, still happy.

(oh, I am staying here with Palmer until he goes home in 5 weeks. I will be his first and last comp to be with this long. But he says I am his best comp too, so it's ok!)

 

Thanks for everything Mom, I love you too. Hope this week is great. Enjoy the weather, keep smiling, and give everyone a big hug and kiss for me.

 

Love you all

Your son and brother

Elder Wartena

New photos on the flickr site. Go see!

Dear Mom,

AGH!!! What is happenening to Orem!!?? The park is all different, you can no longer have the cool bike thing with the slides, the make out hills are gone, and you can't get scared jumping off the stage for the first time!!! Harmons is all different, next thing you know State Street will get new crosswalk things that actually work properly!!!
I'll just stay here in Argentina, so there.
Kidding! Speaking of Orem, we had dinner last night with the family who has a son in the Provo mission close to the mission HQ. There where showing us pictures of him at the Provo Temple, of a church on 8th east, it was pretty trunkyish. Then they had to bring up the photos of when he was in St. George, and E Palmer just about died. Anyways, it was a good dinner. They have a son on a mission, one a year away, and a 1 year old. Whoops...
Good family.
Well, I am much more good looking than when I left, no worries, but not as strong I am sad to report, juggling...yeah. I took out my beanbags to practice the other day and very nearly cried. Lack of practice hurts. And when E Pranter goes home the end of this week, I will feel less humble about my guitar playing skills. (he is REALLY good) Oh, I will be sending Dad's present home with him and some letters, I will let you know his address next week if you woulnd't mind driving a few minutes. (he was in our stake before, so it isn't as though he lives in Idaho, no worries.) Your's and Ben's gift will come home with E Palmer, they haven't be finished yet.
The food, hahahaha...so, methinks I ate something that gave me a weird reaction, and our neighbor says that is what happened. I at first thought it was a bug attack, but they weren't bug bites, and there were more thank 25 on my bicep area alone. Well, they are pretty much gone now, but it was a good experience. (thank heaven for anti itch cream and already having chicken bites and vaccinations, we knew it was none of that)
Yeah, food is pretty much the same of Tres Arroyos, lots of Rice and Pasta. Empenadas, Milenesas, Pizza (kind of...Argy style) Meat meat and more meat! Sorry I haven't sent as many photos, I don't carry my camera around with me all the time anymore. Tres Arroyos was safe, but in Mar Del stuff can get stolen.

Ben is baptized, that is weird. Very very weird.

So, I have nearly finished the BoM, it will be done by sat. (this would be reading it in under a month, phew mission goal was in a month, but I got stuck studying Nephi!) And I have been paying more attention to the whole family unit in the BoM. Maybe something to do with EVERY TALK in gen conf being about the family, I don't know. But the scriptures are really just stories of families. Bible starts with Adam and Eve and their family. BoM, I Nephi, having been born...etc. I think the Lord is trying to tell us something. We are all family!!! He loves us! Yeah, it's kind of obvious, but struck me this week.
So, I think there is a problem with the mail, with my address, something, because I have not recieved anything since December. Thank heaven for email...

Well, I will let you know what is happening with all our investigators here.
Nothing
Yeah, our ward mission leader is frustrated. ''When the missionaries work, we have no help from the ward, and vice versa, why can't we coordinate!'' The bishop is kinda falling apart, and just exhausted. He is a young guy, and really hasn't learned how to delegate everything, and no one is helping him, and it is just sad.
So what do we do? Well, we go through the area book again, knock doors, and just do what we should. Stuff happens, but it doesn't seem as though we are teaching many new people. Still haven't had contact with the girlfriend guy since the first good initial lesson. Same with Brisa and Rocio, just can't get catch them. School requires time or something ridiculous like that. :) We are having some fun contacts though, this old lady last night who gave us 2 of her church's magazines. Essentially the New Era and Ensign. The have 12 apostles, a head apostle, laying on of hands, baptism, holy sealings, and started in 1850. We were trying to teach her, but she was convinced we were basically the same church. Really really weird... We had a good time looking through their magazine though. Let's just say they do NOT have ''for the strength of youth'' or the young women are required to wear much less clothing to confirmations. Speaking of other religions, we contacted 2 Jehovah's Witnesses the other day, we were so bored. They turned out to by 13 and 15, so we let them go, bwahaha. They could get in trouble for talking to us, you have to be like a level 5 to talk to a Mormon. I got a book though! What the Bible really teaches. Fascinating stuff, I had no idea that God prefers us to die than get a blood transfusion...man am I glad to be in the true church.
However, we are still working with the brother in law of the ward mission leader and his inactive wife. Following the example of Ammon and helping him build his house (Ammon, service, yeah) He is alot more willing to have us in his house, so we are moving along.
Oh, English class is fun. I don't think I will ever not laugh when someone asks me what the F word means, or one of it's variations...especially in church.

I really like that Mom, the whole big paragraph. I have been reading old conference talks we have in the house, and have once again decided that I love James E Faust. I have several things, lists in my journal. Including, life goals, movies to see, quotes, books, just things like that. And I really like this poem I found in one of his talks (I added it to my quotes, that is why I brought that up. Oh, your email signature thingy is in there too, btw)

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
Yeah, that is just cool stuff.

The mission is getting better, now that all of the old people with the old bad habits are gone. I guess the last mission pres was a lot more lenient. But yeah, we are doing well.
Really decided to redo my obedience goals again. To make them more a part of everything, and not something I have to decide. Just to make the rules more part of life and less of a thing to worry about. If that makes sense...reading in Alma about all that amazing missionary stuff, I will let you know more about it next week. The Zoramites were esentially Jehovah's witnesses, without the missionary work!

haha, thanks for that Mom, I miss grocery stores too...

Well, thanks for everything and I will talk to you next week!

I love you all
Your missionary son and brother
Elder Joshua Wartena

Favorite part? Just knowing that you can have the spirit with you all the time and have a greater awareness of it because of the time you spend working with the gospel

The difference a day can make in your life.

HI!

Ok, to start off, here is the story of the week.

Many miles have been put in my shoes this week.
But we did find someone, one solitary person.
I felt like we should knock doors one night. This is not something we do often due to the high number of members, references, and ex investigators in the area. But I really just felt like we should. Elder Palmer did not share the sentiment.
Well, it was getting dark and I said that we had 7 minutes left, and that we only had to do one or two more doors and we could go home. Elder Palmer quickly looked around and saw a lady sitting in her doorway with a baby. Well, we contacted her outside the gate, she said no, but that if we wanted we could come back tomorrow when her boyfriend was there. Well, this is not unusual, so we just said thanks and went home.
Well, we went by the next morning and a guy, mid 20s comes out. Shaved head, cigarette, punk looking, yeah, we were going to get regected. Yeah, sure, come on in.
Suprise? Uh, yeah.
Well, turns out he has read the bible several times, likes religion, but not the catholic church or the evangelical that all his family is preaching for and such. He doesn't like how he smokes, and wanted to read the book we had (offered us money, we turned down the easy cash) Elder Palmer spent a good while talking to him, and he wants to have us over for lunch and to answer his questions that he will surely have after reading.

Yeah, jsut plugging along trying to find new people. Ever have the feeling you are supposed to learn patience? Yeah, that's a FUN trip. haha
So, yeah, that is about all that has happened this week sadly. We have a zone conference again tomorrow that should be good. Pres is coming to the house to give us our interviews this time, and to see the house, so we won't have to be in the church as long. As well there will only be three talks, Pres, Sis Detlefsen, and the APs. So it will be much better! (the zone conferences used to be so dang long...)
I am really excited for gen conference though! Feels like we had it about a week ago, which is odd. Elder Blackhorse pointed out that we are coming up on a year mark. Odd.
But I do remember several of those talks! Very very good, I am looking forward to the easter talks. Do you remember Elder Holland's two part talk a few years ago? Amazing, I watched it 2 tranfers ago.
Elder Torres is now a District Leader out in another part of the mission (somewhere by Santa Rosa) Elder Cox is comp. mayor and Elder Jones is assistant to the zone leader out in Tandil. Way weird.
Tell nate that he now has the carga of having my bike all tricked out and awesome by the time I get home. hehehe.
But that is really cool, way to go for what you want to do!
And the scouts, yeah...that is amazing. What happened? I mean, all of a sudden the boys want to get their eagles! That is how good you are, Mom.
OOOO, read Jesus the Christ! So good!!! I have read it twice so far and it is awesome! Be sure to read all the Isaiah prophecies about what would happen to Christ as well. Really cool stuff.
I am still reading the BoM. Just finished the whole Tree of Life stuff, and spent a good half hour in Enos this morning. Really impacted by the calling of a prophet. Maybe because Gen Conf is coming up. But prophets are so amazing!

I like classic yellow peeps.
And will be eating an easter egg and thinking of you all.
Send pictures of the quilt!

The Santa Monica Elders are flipping out about the blog Mom. You just alot of awesome points here.
I like it, ALOT.

And I was wondering where the music was coming from, then realized it was your blog! I like this mary did you know song.

Well, it must needs be that we get to our meeting again. Sorry for the boring week. However, we did cook a whole chicken and eat it today as 4 elders. So that was cool.

Love you all so much. Enjoy easter. Have fun watching conference in pjs! I will be in a suit at a stake center...grrr

Have a greast week!

Your missionary son and brother
Elder Joshua Wartena

HI!

Well, I sure did enjoy reading your email this week! Thank you once again for the weekly letters that are just full of random good stuff.

The weather here can't seem to make up it's mind. Today is, literally, perfect. But earlier in the week it was horrible, so I guess that means we are in fall. Hmmm.
Today is actually a holiday (think, memorial day) and we went down to centro with the rest of the district and kinda just walked around and did some fun shopping. I bought my first mate (a big deal, mate is like the national drink. It is a type of tea thing, not sure how to explain it actually, but EVERYONE drinks it, and you use special cups made out of wood, glass, etc.) What is my mate cup? Well, I took the liberty to buy a cup made out the scrotum sac of a bull. Yes, I did.
I also bought a pair of casual shoes, since my tennis shoes are kinda dying from painting, running, etc. What was my choice of shoes? Well, logically, converse all stars. I like them quite a bit. These are some of the benifits of budgeting your money, you have extra at the end of the month. Poor Elder Palmer has no money...hehehe
So, all those meats you listed have so much more meaning to me now. I have seen every single one of them for sale except for the testicles (but I own a testicle as a cup now, so it's ok, although it is impracticle to drink out of, more for decoration) Tongue I hear is very good, and I now that heart, sweetbreads, and tripe are quite tasty. Brains look really nasty, not gonna lie. Not as nasty as the bag of nerves I saw though...
But all in all we really don't eat a ton of weird stuff. ALOT of pasta, and I mean ALOT. But with alot of different sauces and meats, and bread is a given at any meal. Actually part of the cutlery...
You sound really happy! And I am jealous of your spring break. Missionaries get no such luxuries!!!
Ben is in scouts, and getting baptised...this is weird to me. We just had a baptism this weekend! Matias Bartellone! And the family is now back in church. It is very nice to see something like that because of what you did.
Favorite investigator huh? Brisa, without a doubt. Very smart, cute little 12 yr old girl who comes alone every week with her younger sister. She has gone to alot of churches, and just feels better in our's! She will read, pray, and kinda takes the normal questions we ask as ''well, duh!'' She is just very, ''well, that makes sense, yeah.'' Her and her sister Rocio are way cool. We want a baptismal date with them, but at the same time want their parents baptised too. A predicament...prayer anyone?
Everyone is doing well here though. We found a few new people, we'll see how it goes. And a member's husband who is nto a member told us that he wants to change his life and have his family be better and needs the church for that. We agreed and are helping him to do just that. :)
Well, it depends, we usually attend priesthood, but if we have no one in church, we will go out and knock doors and talk to people in the street to find someone. But we go to the gospel principles class for the investigators and recent converts. Sunday school is not for the misionaries...but the other class is was smaller and fun anyway!
Odd random stuff.
Apparently mosquitos here are resistant to cold (from the lips of a member, not making this up!)
I feel that I have made a big step in my spanish by knowing the slang for flip flops and being able to understand the macarena
Hmmm, what else. Man, I feel so boring, my emails are getting shorter! But yeah, just plugging along still! Oh, we do not switch for daylight savings time, nope.
So, Mom, I have a question for you, what are your two favorite pictures of church related stuff, Jesus, etc?
And tell Ben I have a present for him.
Well, until next week! I love you all and am praying for you always. Thanks again for everything.
Love from Argentina
Your missionary son and brother
Elder Joshua Wartena

Ugh, thank you for such a happy email, it has not been the happiest week here.
Since sunday I have been in bed, with the exception of refusing to yesterday because we had an appt with Richard. I had been having bad headaches that were effectgin my sleep, and we were at our neighbor's when sis. Bartellone brushed my arm and said I had a fever. Well, find out it's a 101 degree fever...so I was ordered to bed and my comp took one of the YM Bartellones out to work. Well, yeah, that is about the story of my life since sun. Full of nights not being able to sleep, trying to nap during the day, and just wanting to bang my head against the wall.
Then for about two days before that it just rained and poured, and no one was home or would answer, and now it turns out that someone in the ward accused Elder Palmer of trying to do stuff with Virginia Fazzorlari (who is married to Fernando) This is of course ridiculous, I am always with him, and were with them alot because half of our progressing investigators are their friends, and so we teach with them and they come with us to contact their friends. Great couple. But, they have been having marital problems (easy to have when you get pregnant twice before turning 20 and don't really have a solid grip on life) and we didn't know. Now, the bishop and the ward mission leader both know and the mission leader has told us that we don't have to worry about anything, that he understands.
The worst part, the only reason that anyone thinks something is because Virginia is 19 yrs old, and very pretty. The other families that we work with (just as much as them) have no problems because they aren't the same.
Well, as well, a year or so ago we were told that something like this happened but that the missionary was alone with a lady for a few minutes and he had to have an emergency transfer.

We're just so excited for sunday.

Would you pray for these people?

Juan and Celia (still great, especially her, she is just eating up all the reading and defending the church and her decision to people)
Martin (still plugging along with teaching)
The Bartellone family
Brisa and Rocio
Patricia (we have another friend of the fazzolaris! She came to the first 2 hours of church, but was sick and couldn't stay for sac. mtg.)

Oh, not to make you nervous or anything, but I guess in the larger buildings in Centro you could feel the earthquake. But, this area has absolutely no lines or plates or anything for...along ways. Much more chance of having an earthquake in UT than here.
There were also a murder down the street this week (maybe the Lord was protecting me by being sick) and one in Santa Monica (the other half of our dist.) Something to do with drugs and money, and family problems. We actually went to an appt. and the lady said she couldn't stay because her friend just got killed and she had to go help. (that was a first hearing that one...)

Just a happy time here in Argentina for the moment. Nothing like migranes, earthquakes, murders, and neighbors getting shot at coming home from work to give you motivation to do better.
:D
Please don't worry though, I am fine.

Oh, address, yeah, the office changed, and there are two addresses for some reason, one for the stake center, and one for the office (but please just send them to the office)

I think you just forgot the bahia blanca part

Elder Joshua D. Wartena
Casilla de Correo 70
Bahia Blanca 8000
Buenos Aires
Argentina

I actually will be able to go to the temple before I leave! I will be making it just in time.

Well, you all sound busy, and I am glad to hear it. Hopefully next week will be a more exciting email with more stories. Thank you for all the prayers, letters, etc.
I love you so much.

Your son and brother
Elder Joshua Duveau Wartena