Thanks for all the support here on the Blog

Dear Friends and Family,

Here is a little pre-pday post from The Mama.  I just wanted to thank all those people who have supported us here on the blog.  There are so many more of you than I realized.  Just this afternoon I found how I could view all the comments that have ever been made about the blog.  It blew my mind to see how many people have visited here that I never knew about.  Many of you I don't even know.  You just found this blog.

Sister Cox commented over a year ago about a post.  Turns out she found the blog while surfing the internet, and her son was Josh's companion.  Just an update.  Elder Cox WAS receiving packages from his family, just not from his friends.  She reports he is doing well.

Two other dear sisters were surfing around and found us here.  They were looking for information about the mission.  Both of them have sons now serving in the Bahia Blanca mission.  Who knows?  Maybe they will be companions with Josh at some time.

The world is getting smaller and smaller each day.  With our modern technology to link us we can be such support for one another.  When I first began the blog I figured family would check it out occassionaly for an update on our son.  Turns out others have come to visit as well.  I hope that something we share can help another person to have a good day.  I hope that others will be inspired by our story and feel a desire within to serve a mission for the Lord.  Perhaps something we share about our life will encourage someone else to learn about the restored gospel and be baptised. 

I want to thank all the family and friends who are keeping their blogs up for us to share.  It is such fun to take a few moments each week to learn what is happening in your lives.  We can't visit or call you every week, yet we feel a part of your lives with this online adventure called The Blog.  We love you.  May the joy of the season be with all of you.

Signing off for now,
The Mama

Busy week, again. That's good news.

Ugh

Dearest Mother,

It is one of those good old weeks that I am sure you remember from the first 8 months of the mission when I only have about 15 minutes to write you, and President...why?

Well, I'm in Bahia again. Got on the bus at 1 and now a, with the zome leaders doing internet in a little concrete room that has a band saw in the back.

Exciting stuff that happened as I will not be able to respond to any of your email.

Jorgelina is getting baptised saturday, then the little old couple we found the week after along with 3 grandchildren of a less active that we reactivated, ''Elders, the Lord sent you to my door.''

Doing divisions in San Antonio, I had my first baptismal interview excperience. Kinda just walked in and the lady said she was ready to get baptised and wanted the interview righht then. To which Elder Aldridge replied that that was convenient.

Yeah, alot has happened, and I honestly don't really remember most of it, and if the next week is a packed as this one was, you will probably not know any until I get home...interesting thought.

But yeah, I am going to go write Pres. before I hop off. Thanks again for the email, even though I don't say much about them. I love you all.  Have a great week in Utah, enjoy the snow! And tell Chris I am jealous, he knows what I mean...

 

Your missionary son and brother,

Elder Wartena

It's short and sweet and to the point.  How exciting for a missionary to have a baptism scheduled.  Now that's joy.

Signing off for now,

The Mama

New assignment

We're having a guessing game and a reading challenge.  Read on to get the information.

Dear Mother

 

Well, it has been an interesting week. First ofall, there isa certain key on this keyboard that is broken. We will see if you figureoutwhich one it isby the end of the email.

 

Trip backfrom Bahia was uneventful, then we did divisions with theothermissionaries i n Viedma so that Elder Thomson could work. You see, elder Risenhoover isn't able to walk, so we took turns being i nthe house with him so that his comp could get out for a while.

Sebastion is being very difficualt to find

But, we are getting Eduardo, Rueben and Julio married to their member spouses so that they will be able to get baptised.

It's a pretty good time.

As well asJorgelina. She recieved thelessons awhileago, but we ''refound'' her and we are trying tog et her in thefontas well. She will be going in for surgery on her spine soon adnd wants to be baptised before the procedure. Time is the problem.

That isthe exciting news in thearea, other new people, but we'll see what happens.

Nearly all thepeople we ahve are from the members. I heard astatistic that only 1to 2 percent of tracted investigators actually reach baptism. I think that lack of being able to really anchor people in the ward is a huge factor oin the ''fizzling out'' When the ward is struggling, it is hard to throw extra people in and excpect a huge support and effort. As a result, we have many less actives to work with, and part member families. It works out though, because the ward gets stronger, and the mission wrok progresses at the same time. However, once again, the time is the real problem. One of the reasons Pres is having missionaries stay in areas for 4 transfers as much as possible.

Yeah, I'm here for a 4th transfer, but I was made dist leader of Viedma (which is 4 hours away from the zone...crazynezz)

Honestly kinda stressing about it, but it should be fun. I'm going out to San Antonio Oeste this week for divisions.

Answer to your question. We have a house heated by natural gas, as is the water heater, fridge, and stove. But a few things

1) It's about 100000000 degrees, so we don't use the heater

2) One of the enforced laws is to have gas escape things in the walls so you don't die

3) The mission supplies carbon monoxide alarms

4) The kitchen still doesn't have a window. It has bars though, so a good breeze is prevelent most of the day.

 

That is why I stopped taking my camera to zone conferences,. In the leadership conference 5 cameras were stolen and they are trying to find out who did it.

I took personal money out to fix my shoes today. I have a pair that is my main working pair and another that I keep nicer. My foot came out the bottom last week in the first pair and they are sitting in a Zapataria being fixed as we speak.

We had an asado for pday to celebrate thanksgiving. But I Think EC and I are going to buy a chicken like Dad said and have dinner on the actual day.

Thanks forthe animo, Mom, I'm havinga great time here in Viedma. I love my mission, wouldn't tade it for the world.

Thanks agagin for the emails, and everything else you do for me. I love you, Mom, and the wholefamily. HI!

Sorry for a shorter email week, have a great semana and I will talk to you next pday!

 

your missionary son and brother

ELder Joshua WArtena

 

Study hmework: Alma's admonitions to his sons, Heleman, Shiblon, andCoriantumr. Compare them with Lehi's blessing to his sons in 2 Ne 1-3

This applies to everyone who reads this email :D Chau!

Did you figure out which key on the keyboard was broken?  Post your guesses and I'll let you know next week if you were correct.  Also, anyone who does the homework study and posts their experience with it will get something from me.  Have a grand week.

Signing off for now,

The Mama

Travels galore.

Dear Mom and Dad
I will tell you why you are getting an email late, it is a good story.
I am in Bahia Blanca. Well, that is the story.
No, kidding, here is what happened.
So, our dist leader Elder Thomson had to come up here for a leadershi`p conference today and since the last leadership thing had the trainers in it, we thought I had to come too. One of the assistants told us that was probably how it was too. Well, I thought he had called to double check when I went to get the tickets yesterday, and we bought two. There was no call made.
So, about an hour away from Bahia we get a call from the zone leaders telling us that I actually didn0t need to be there. I was quite upset. But, we stayed with elder sands that night and looked forward to spending pday in a conference. 
The missionaries training in the transfer that is coming up and all the current leaders were there. I was the only one out of place. No big deal though.
Well, One of the assistants tells me later that he was glad I made it up. So I am quite confused at this poitn ''wasn't I not supposed to be here?'' ''No, Pres told us the other day (meaning the assistants) I want Elder Wartena to be here for the leadership conference...''
So, I was supposed to be there, even though we all thought I wasn't. Yeah...I think transfers are going to be interesting fri...
Apart from that, it was actually the second time we came to Bahia this week. We ahd our zone conference on saturday, so fri was traveling. 
Conference=awesome. Both of them.I would tell you more about it, but we have to go get a bus, so this is actually the only email I will be able to write, and it won't be very long. But hey, Chris, thanks for writing me such a long letter. I am going to be writing a response on the bus ride home. :D
The week went well though, we had 10 member present lessons in spite on conference.
The family (Natalia and Juan Pablo) are having problems with us coming over. He really doesn't have interest, even though she does, and it is getting impossible to find them home. We'll get them though.
Sebastian still going. :D
Eduardo, the husband of the member lady who is reactivating, is still amazing. Reading and praying. aCtually called me in Bahia to reshcedule our appointment tonight, but he is still keeping commitments. 
A member couple brought 2 young ladies to church, friends of their son (one is a girlfriend of a friend or something like that) ANd in the lesson (princliples of the gospel, which I teach) I knew I had to tie it into the restoration. Teaching about how families can be together forever, went into the restoration of said priesthood power, and from there explained about Jose Smith. One of the girls was was into reading for the class, and started crying and smiling during the jose smith story. She wants us to come over and teach her. :D:D:D:D:D

Elder Christianson and I ate pig brain a few nights ago. We were having a bbq with the dog guy, and he pulled a pig head out of the fridge for us to eat (yum....) you just cut parts off the head, and eat it. It's like french fries. 
Well, he pulls out a big knife, says just a second, them cuts the head in half. It looked really cool, like an anatomy book or something, and you just stuck your fork into the side of the brain, pulls some out, and ate it.
Pig brain, and pig ear, are probably the nastiest things I have ever eaten.
Blood sausage is up there though...nasty.
Oh, we also found an ex investigator who is getting baptised now. She is the sister of a member, and knows it is true, is reading the BoM, and wants to get baptised before her spine operation. We will know the date of the operation tomorrow, wish us luck!
And the other husband of the other less active we reactivated, is still good, and is progressing to baptism. (next transfer, like...5 people are already lined up and ready..it's kinda cool)
I had something else to say, but just forgot it.
So, in case you haven't noticed, I really haven't responded to anything you wrote me, sorry. 
Oh, we had about 40 people in church sunday, and last week there were 52. Big change from my first week here having 20 max.
Christmas? I would love a few cool ties actually, I'm still good on the stickies you sent me in the MTC! And everything else you can really get here. But it's nice to have ties from home...
The wal mart (well, it's like an off brand wal mart that wal mart put in Viedma) had Peanut Butter! So, we had PB and J. It was great.

But hey, I have to run to go catch a bus. Thanks again for everything, I love you all, sorry for the past few weeks not being the best email wise, I will improve. 

Your missionary here in Argentina
Elder Joshua Wartena




Happy week to all of you.  May your travels be safe and happy.


Signing off for now,
The Mama

Spring has sprung in Argentina

I decided to share the emails sent to both  the Papa and the Mama this week.  He is working hard.  Thus there is little time for typing emails to us all on pday.  He likes to divide the info between our two emails keeping each short and to the point; then we share with one another.  So this week we will share both with you as well.

Email to the Papa

Spring, rocks in Argentina

Winter, ridiculously cold, Summer, boil your brains hot, but Spring, really nice.

So, the investigators are all doing really well. Maria dropped us, and Juan Pablo is having a hard time paying attention or really caring about the message, but his wife Natalia loves it and is enjoying praying and putting forth the effort to read the Book of Mormon. Sebastian is just a stud. We were teaching him about the gospel of Jesus Christ, baptism, etc. And he really wants to do it all; but honestly has a hard time believing in God. Not that he doesn't want to believe, but he just never had any kind of base and doesn't know right now. He has a huge desire, and is reading and praying. Time for impromptu scripture application, Aaron and the King. He really loved the story and is doing alot better now. A sister who has been inactive for quite alpong itme decided to come back to church to join her son (Ezequiel and Luciana) and brought her boyfriend with her. HE asked us to come over and give him the discussions so that he can get baptized as soon as possible after they get married. He told us that he had had contact with the churh before but was unable to follow through with it but is so excited now to get married and in a year go through the temple. Well, we picked our jaws up off the floor to tell him that we could do that.

Then another less active who we reactivated (actually the lady who I commanded be healed in a blessing) brought her husband and he told us in a very manner of fact way that he needed us to come give him the dicussions too (a miracle seeing that he wanted nothing to do with the church before).

And we have found some other people, but that is the real exciting stuff going on.

So, I sent Mom the address for Elder Christensen in the last email, and am going to go write her right now. We have 4 family home evenings tonight and are kinda short on time. But thanks again for the email, keep up all the good work, and tell the ward hi from me and that everything is doing well. Hope you liked hearing about the work. Love you Dad

Your son

Elder Wartena

PS: Training ROCKS! It helps that my son is a stud missionary.

PSS: An all you can eat restuarant in Argentina run by Chinese people and is less than 30 pesos is always a bad idea. 

Email to the Mama

Dear Mother

Ok, so we have a ton of stuff to do tonight; as such, combine your's and Dad's emails to form one big email, deal?

This week was good, I will tell you about the cool stuff that happened.

I got sick on...Thursday? Yes and spent the weekend with Elder Risenhoover who has been ordered by Pres to stay off his knees. We had a grand old time popping pain killers and cleaning the houses in Viedma. But, it was a torrential downpour the entire weekend. As such, our comps got drenched, and we made them good food, hot chocolote, and all that.

So that was fun. I told Dad about the great success we are having in the work, which is always a great feeling. Elder Christensen and I are still doing great, apart from the growing heat of summer :D
Today was a good pday, I think we met the Argentina Mafia. I will tell you more about that next week, remind me, I'll have more time. Suffice it to say, they will do dollar to peso changes, no questions, names, or documents asked in less than 30 seconds. Something that usually takes a bank account, passport and visa, reason for being in the country, and lots of time.

It was fun....

Still no progress on the Radio thing.

And Maria dropped us, she doesn't want us coming by anymore.  That was a bullet, but hey, what can you do?  We found another lady that had the lessons awhile ago and now is ready to be baptised, knows it is true, and all that. It's pretty cool.

We finished reading chapter one just awhile ago (of Preach My Gospel).  It is my favorite, if I may say so. Also the most talked about in the MTC, teachers, everything is about ''the purpose''.

Reading assignemt for you then! Read about the sons of Mosiah and their missions. Alma 17-26. Look for people in your life that need what they gave to their bretheren the Lamanites.

:D

Oh dear, time is up, I love you Mom.  Have a great week, and thanks for the emails every week. I will print this one off and answer all your questions...eventually.

Hugs to all! 

Your missionary

Elder Wartena 

There you have it.  He is busy, happy, working hard.  He loves it.  We love it.  Please pray for his safety and pray for the investigators.

Signing off for now,

The Mama

An email to get you all choked up.

Yup, we have haircut apps at 5, so you get to read an email earlier than normal!

First of all, thanks for the email last week, I printed it off to read it at home. Thank you!

Let's give you the rundown for the week.

Our family of 7, Juan Pablo and NAtalia, are sitll doing very well. They don't have much knowledge of Christ or anything religios, and love hearing about Him and everything.

Challenge, they aren't married, and don't really want to be.

Plus, no problems whatsovever with the BoM, or having the spirit in the lessons.

Enter, Sebastian. If you can guage how much the Lord trusts you by the sisuation of the people he gives you, we're doing alright in that regard. He has been raised by the street in Buenos Aires since his parents died at age 8. He is now 21, living in the garage of the mother of a member, working 3 jobs, and is a massive cocaine addict that wants to change tso much it is impressive. He has no where else to go but God now and that's were we found him, after 550 pesos of cocaine.

The kid is awesome, to say the least. Heavenly FAther loves him so much, and is using us to show it, it feels SO COOL! Imagine just being filled with the most pure love while looking and listening to someone you don't even know and then being able to tell him.

YES; email from you, let's go read it.

You got it all right for the primary, I like it.

Back to the week.

OTher big news, we are going to start teachinga young man who thinks there is no forgiveness for what he did. You see, he caused his girlfriend to have an abortion, and now is tortured every day by it 9 months later. Alma the younger anyone?

We just teach screwed up situations, guess that's the best to teach about the atonoment to right? We are spending alot more time explaining the actual gospel this transfer than we are about convinving of the bookm of Mormon or the restoration. People are just accepting it.

Except for 50% of the people we find. 8 new investigators this week, but most of them really just let us in to be nice and ahve interest in listening or having us back, ever.

Oh well.

Still knocking a ton of doors. We're thinking of getting every door knocked in the area by the time we leave is a good goal. Oh, we're also going to be talking on a radio station either this week or next week. I'll let you know how it goes.

Sac meeting was only 40 minutes long this week. The son of a member was shot by a police officer. Be glad you live in the states. His body was in a coffin slightly stronger than cardboard, sprayed down with lysol for the smell, and placed in a local gymnasium for viewing.

Needless to say, we're avoiding that area for the next little while.

And, it's time to go get haircuts, but thanks for everything Mom, and family.

Thank you Dad for the email, I will be studying the scriptures when I get home!

Love you all!

Your missionary son and brother

Elder Joshua Wartena

I just read the whole thing and cried.  Our dear son seems to have entered a new phase of the mission.  He seems to really be there in a new way. 

I was going to say more, but feel I should stop.  Best wishes to you all.

Signing off for now,

The Mama

Busy in the land of Argentina

Dear Mom

Well, I'm just going to say thanks in advance for your letter because I have a whole bunch of stuff to write.

You know how we've felt there was a family for us to find and baptize this week? Well, we found them. After the end of a long rainy day, the last appointment of 9 that had all fallen though (yeah, this was the one) and a nice lady let us in to teach her and her husband. They were glued to us the entire lesson and Elder Christianson cried when we left he was feeling so good. They have never gone to a church and aren't even baptized catholic. Juan Pablo, Marcela, and family.

Maria is definitely worth mentioning. Elder C didn't even introduce us at her door, jsut ''may we come in'' Well,. she let us in. Then I proceeded to feel like Abinadi teaching King Noah and the priests. Ok, she didn't want to kill me or revile against the law of moses, but I felt like I was literally on fire. No phrase there, I would not have been suprised to look at my arms and see flames going. It was without a doubt the coolest teaching experience I have ever had. She told us after that she has never let anyone into her house, but for some reason she did for us that night and loved it. Now we have to get on her athiest daughter's case.
It was pretty dang awesome. Cause, see, after reading a part of chapter 1 in PMG, we decided to pull out moroni and focus on specific spritual gifts that we want to develop. Well, EC is going for gift of tongues and faith, because he is having a time with the language and really wants to excercise faith. I am really trying to improve a gift of teaching wisdom and knowledge. Because, well, I'm teaching alot more now that I am training.

Typing was something I definitely should have worked on more before the mission. Eldedr Aldridge is here typing about 100 words a minute and I think I amy ask him to just type what I dictate.

So, ummm, how would you feel if I went to live in Europe in 2012? Specifically, Spain and Germany?

Knocking lots of doors, and contacting lots of people. like, 340, which is over 100 of what the mission asks us to get.

So, some kids were juggling outside of these appt building the other day, and I just couldn't resist going over to see them. This one kid had clubs and he told me that it would be 2 pesos to see him juggle. So I told him I would do better for free. Which I did. :D

To answer all questions in all emails, because time is a little scrunched at the moment, we have 10 appointments to run to in 3 hours after email....

Elder Christianson may be my favorite comp, ever. Yeah, Elder Palmer is getting a run for his money. This missionary is great! I would like to emulate all of his good qualities, but like I said, time. Just a kid who knows what he's doing and has a great attitidue and enthusiasm about it. Reallly helps me alot and we have a great time working and really just having the spirit like a pair of Alma and Amulek. Oh, yeah, we're really, really humble at the same time.

Paolo couldn't come to church because he had a hangover and then it just went downhill from there until one day we are informed that he has run away to Neuquen with the catholic church....yeah. We're just trying not to think about that one.

But, incoming, Sebastian! He came with a member to dist conference this week and we are going to baptise him. He just doesn't know it yet.

Ok, well, that is time up and we have to run, but there is much that happened this week, we are doing spectacular and I love you all. Thanks again for the emails and letters!

Your missionary son and brother

Elder Joshua Wartena  

PS, your answer was great, and Dan Jones was the early missionary who went over to Wales and just tore it up. And the Book of Mormon is...well, an ancient record of the americas...but I think I understood the question wrong.

CHAU!

Friends and Family (which are pretty much the same thing if you ask me),

It's days like this that I really just miss Joshua LOTS.  I miss his stories each day when he gets home.  I miss his, "Mom, want to hear something funny?"  I miss him picking up something to juggle everywhere we go.  I can't tell you how many times I was embarrassed by him picking up some set of items and juggling them in the middle of a store or someone's house.  He loves to put on a show and make people happy.  Today I'd give anything to have him here with me juggling anything in any store (besides glass items).  Well, until he is back with us again I will have to rely on the companionship of you all--and you are such nice companions.  Anyone for lunch out with me?  My treat?

To hear how much fun he is having training and working hard with this new companion is delightful.  He loves being a missionary.  And, after all this time, I can truly say we love having a missionary son.   

The people of Argentina he loves.  They seem to have a hard time hearing the gospel and accepting it.  Many of his investigators have accepted, and then turned completely away a time later.  Perhaps some prayers from us on their behalf are needed.

Signing off for now,

The Mama