Wednesday is my favorite day!

Dear Family and Friends,

It's funny how a day of the week becomes your favorite. For 8 weeks I loved Fridays. Then the favorite changed to Monday. What do ya know? Now I love Wednesdays. I'm just so fickle. Oh, well. You never know how much you're gonna miss them until they're gone. Even if you've been imagining this separation since they were two weeks old, and crying about it on a regular basis, you don't know how bad the hurt is going to be or how large the whole in your life will feel when they are gone. Every Wednesday we write, read, chat, and laugh. Then the email is turned off and the momma cries for a little bit. Some weeks are more tear stained, some are less.

Now don't worry. I'm fine. We're all fine. We just miss each other's daily company. It is truly the very best feeling in the world to know your kid is Choosing The Right. It makes a lot of the hurt better. Those times when I get to feeling real lonely and sad, I take a few minutes to read conversion stories of people. To read about a person who didn't have the gospel in their life who one day chose to listen to LDS missionaries can change your whole perspective. I feel a connection to the people Josh is teaching. We pray for them. We see their faces in the pictures, hear their stories, and have joy in their changed lives. A mission is a good thing after all--and for a while there I really didn't think I was ever going to be able to say that.

So here is another weekly partial letter from our missionary to share with you. Please enjoy this journey with us.

Sincerely,

Stacie

It's MY MOM!!!

Well, I am glad you had an exciting valentine's day, yup yup. Sooooo, yeah. We are tired! We are working very hard, it's nice, and odd at the same time. The ward is all working together with their mission plan and telling us to come over because they will have someone to teach, etc. Very awesome.
Let's tell you about our peoples here.
Juan and Celia will be baptised as soon as his divorce papers go through and they can be married. In the meantime we hope to baptise their kids!
Paula and her family. Her two daughters just come to church and will be baptised as well. We just need to teach the lessons and get the Mom in on it.
Richard wants to start coming to church, but he is a security guard who gets home at about 4 or 5 am, and is very tired but comes to church. He is going to get married to the member who he is living with and will be baptised.
Laura and her daughter Deborah are bomb investigators who just need to pray and come to church.
Martin is the 18 friend of a member who goes to church, youth conference, and will be baptised as soon as he prays
Then we have the Beloqui family who has some friends they have been teaching about the temple and are all amazing apparently.

It's a good time

And those aren't counting the less actives we are working with and the members, bishop, ward mission leaders and missionaries, etc. etc.
It pretty much rocks.
We had 6 people in church, that we didn't know were coming or brought.
We had a good cold night and rain this week, so the bugs have gone down quite a bit, which is nice. I was becoming a mosquito farm I swear...
We have a zone conference tomorrow, I will let you know how that goes.
Sorry this is like bullet points, the week just flew by and I don't have my ''email notes'' to write the stuff I wanted to remember.
Elder Palmer and I are still doing well, we are teaching well together, studying, yeah.
Anything specific you would like to know?
Yesterday was really cool, we went to a recent converts house to teach paula's kids the restoration, and one of her kids (the member) brought a couple friends! So we ended up watching the movie and teaching a ton of people the lesson. Felt like primary!

Yeah, if you haven't gathered, I am doing very well. Spanish, teaching, everything. Helps as well that the bishop told us that we shouldn't waste alot of time knocking doors. So we haven't, and have had alot more success finding and teaching worthwhile people (they are all worthwhile, but some won't listen, ya know)
Maybe it sounds like I am counting my chickens before they hatch, but I'm just happy!
What else, dang it..
I am officially playing futbol with Argentines, and being pitied...My poor comp, he played soccer in college, and loves it, but I never have, so I just get put in the goal half the time! I'm alright with it though, I learn alot watching.

Hmmm, studying the JSH this week, really good! Every time I read it I am just so impressed with how crazy his story is. I mean, the church is true. All these people don't join a church because a 14 said he saw God and was given gold scriptures buried in a hill 1400 years unless it's true!

Jon Bytheway is way good! I listened to a whole bunch of his talks in Tres Arroyos, I love how he talks about the scriptures. He teachs them like they are as familiar to him as his journals, and that personal.

Yeah! I think that is about how I am doing this week, just great.
Thanks for all the prayers, support, and just everything.

I love you so much, Mom!

Your missionary son
Elder Joshua Wartena

Little Piglet writes again

Dear Mom

I love the song!

Insert here a portion of the email and the song he is referring too:

(Now, you must put yourself into a singing mood for the time being and sing the following to the tune High On the Mountain Top. Just do a syllable per beat and all will be well. : ) )

High on the mountain top

A banner was unfurled

The mother sat and typed a letter to her son.

She typed and typed and typed

Quite early in the morn

Just so he'd have some mail

Not be forlorn.

My favorite teaching moment? I was doing divisions in Santa Monica, and a recent convert asked a question about something he read in Revelation. This guy just has shelves of great philosophers and their books, tons of notebooks full of notes, and is probably one of the smartest people I have ever met. (Very humble conditions though, you would not expct it) He is very very smart, and is just soaking up the gospel. His wife (they just got married) is a member and I think he because converted a few weeks ago from athiesm because of her. He said how he knows it is way important to learn the basics, but he is just learning so fast! He asked a question about something in Revelation though and wanted to know the answer. I never thought all my random knowledge about that stuff would come in handy. The guy is just so cool! He is absorbing the gospel and just devouering (spelling, yeah) the scriptures and gospel principles. But he also wants to know about the other stuff he finds! Just an incredibly smart person who is using his brains to gain this knowledge. We connected well, and he told Elder Pranter to bring me back soon.

Most difficult? Probably the Jehovah's Witnesses who lie to you and switchstuff up about their church. Doesn't help that most of them aren't allowed to talk to you. You have to be at a certain level to talk to a mormon. But last night we were with a less active lady and her boyfriend who is living with her and her two friends (one of whom spoke english so well she just sounded like she was from louisiana. She ended up giving us a ride home from dinner, and we just got to speak English the whole time. It was cool to explain what we do and the church in English!)

gmail shut down and my computer froze for about 10 minutes, so it is even shorter than at first.

Don't worry! All good answers to your list this week.
We had a BBQ with our neighbors this weekend, it was awesome. Even though we ended up spending alot more on meat than we would have liked.
We also went fishing this morning, it was fun.

And now it must needs be that we go to a meeting with the ward, and I have to stop. I have not really responded to everything you have written, but thank you. You are the one link I have to everything that is going on i the family, Mom! (well, Dad of course, but it is different) Thank you so much. I love your emails, they make my week, you have no idea!

I love you so much, Mom!
Your little piglet with a plaque on his pocket.

Elder Joshua Wartena

He's been Tranferred!!

HI!
Ok, I got the call this afternoon to where I am going.
Drumroll please....
Punta Mogotes...yeah, less than climatic, I know.
It's in Mar Del Plata, and apparently is a very touristic place.
I am with an Elder Palmer, which is kinda cool actually, because he was Elder Wiltbank's last comp. When Elder Torres founds out he said ''you just won the lottery, Palmer, in Mar Del Plata.''
Yeah, our area is very large from what I have heard, but good. I leave tomorrow night around 6 pm. Mostly all packed already, just going to visit a few people, go to church, then head out!
Elder Hatton from the other ward in Tres Arroyos is going to Balcarce Rama 1, and is going to be district leader. hehehehe...So we will be together to travel until MDP.
Another Peruvian is coming to be Elder Torres' comp (and he is not too happy about it) and another Latin to be our dist. leaders'. So Tres Arroyos will have no English speakers!
But yeah, that's the big news, wanted to let you know, and will talk to ya'll wednesday.
Oh, Hay fotos en flickr.

I love you!
Chou
Elder Wartena

This week I shall update on the day it happens--WOW!

Dear Friends and Family,

For Christmas we got to talk with Josh for over 2 hours. It was fantabulous! He sent a package full of letters, coins, and a few presents. Jeff and Chris look totally awesome in their new Argentine soccer jerseys. He is doing quite well, and they had their first two baptisms the Friday before Christmas. Josh is hoping for a transfer in January and to be a trainer in March. He is also starting to dream in Spanish, but I'll let you read about that below.

You'll want to be sure to visit the Flickr account link and see the new pictures of our boy. Most of the new ones are of the missionaries during their 8 hour wait at the Mar del Plata bus station.

Mom!

Ok, I'm not worrying to much about writing alot, because we talked so much! I also said most everything there.
I love the pictures!

All I have to say, very exciting. Go working out! We have started to do that in the Tres Arroyos house, and it is quite fun for some reason.

I started having dreams in Spanish this week! Definitely weirding me out though, even if it is a good sign.
Our investigators are doing well. Slower week with Christmas, parties, and new year, but good! We are teaching a Jehovah's Witness family, Veronica and Gaston. I actually enjoy it, they ask hard questions and pay attention. Not sure if it's because they are genuinely interested, but they are fun to talk to. Working alot with Blanca's family now, and her daughter Andrea even said the prayer after reading 3 Ne 11 and watchign the testaments!
Yeah, just plugging along. I might be training in march! We have over 20 missionaries dying, and alot of leadership that will need to be filled. Chances are I will be out this transfer, get a comp for one transfer, and then train one of the newbies. I really hope so, that seems like so much fun to me.

I love you Mom, I hope you like the pictures I added this week! Thanks for all the good wishes and the quote. I love quotes, you know...
haha, flyaway! Don't worry, I'm still doing very well.
Thanks again for talking to me so much. I'm praying for you all and love hearing about everything
I love you!
Your missionary son
Elder Joshua Wartena

Signing off for now,

The Mama

December 2, 2009—a short update

Woohoo...

Alright, I have a full 10 minutes to write you this week. Due to miscommunication, not knowing where people are, lots of walking, and bus schedules, Elder Torres and I have 10 minutes. Yeah...I'm kinda mad about it. I had alot to write to you guys.
Mom, thank you for the email, it was great! Even though I can't respond to everything.
Dad, thank you for the scripture study outline/ideas. They really correspond creppily well with what I'm studying in pers. study.
Chris, do you like Argentina Nation Team or River jerseys better?
I will be writing you all an actual letter about things here and sending it next Pday, so it should get to you by christmas. The big news of this week is that we have 3 baptisms scheduled for the 20 of december. Yay...kind of. I think only one of them is going to be ready. The other 2 are extended family of the screwed up Branch pres.' wife, and it is a bad situation that I do not feel good about. Missionaries have the keys of baptism in their area, and I do not think they should be baptized this soon and with this situation. More about that as it unfolds though.

I love you all!
Thanks again for everything, sorry about the email this week.

Elder Wartena



Josh was attending an area pday and things got cut short. He had to take a 8 hour round trip bus ride to Necochea for the event. I guess it's worth it for the missionaries to spend time together. He sounds much happier these days.

Signing off for now,

The Mama

The Mama has a comment to add

We posted a link to Josh's photobucket account. You can find it in the links on the right hand side of the blog. Be careful though. Photobucket doesn't have the best of advertisers. We always put up a smaller size book on the left side of the screen to hide the photos that come up. The pictures are fun.

Second, a mother posted on November 18th here that her son had just entered the MTC headed to Bahia Blanca for a mission. I wish I knew who she was. It is wonderful to feel the support of other mothers with sons on missions. When a sister at church who has "been there, done that" speaks to me or throws me one of those "I know what you are feeling" looks, I just feel bonded and loved. My best wishes go out to the new missionary mother of November 18th.

Signing off for now,

The Mama

The Day Before Thanksgiving 2009

Haha, choir huh? I'm glad it was fun, but 4 am? Blech. But I'm not a morning person, as you know. Elder Torres learned that one after trying to grab my feet a coule times to wake my up early. ''No toca mis pies...enserio.'' That sounds fun though!
We're doing well, apart from E. Torres being ridiculously sick to his stomach and our Branch Pres being an idiot, but I told that in Dad's email, so for sake of time, I won't repeat. But yeah, the branch is our biggest hinderance, sadly. The other Branch actually gives us more support than our's does.

I will try my card today, I promise, and let you know! There is actually only a Wal-Mart in Bahia, but apparently it is quite good. You can buy Peanut Butter there (one of the things in short supply and not allowed to be shipped due to some disease thing) and many of those good things.

Thanksgiving sounds fun! No worries, we shall have a good Thanksgiving here. I will cook a very large chunk of meat to eat and we will eat it. Logical, no?
But have fun, take pictures, etc! (<-------please, and not the etc.)

We saw UP this morning for our zone activity while in Necochea for pday! Our choich of movies is quite limited (church stuff and certain G movies) but UP was so good! I loved it, if I may say so. Also had quite the ridiculous game of ultimate going on. Hot day, so we all worked up a sweat.
Unfortunately, not much was done this week due to sickness and the conf, so this email is much shorter, I apologize. I did put several more pictures up on photobucket though, so enjoy those! Yeah...
We hopped a train! It was only going about 2 miles an hour, but we did it! I just feel cool saying that, even if it was only to get to the other side.
We sure cooked alot this week too. Learning dishes from Peru, yes Mam. Quite delicious too, if I may say so. Alot of rice, pasta, bread...carbs...yeah.

hmmmm, yeah. That's the week. Seems alot lamer now that I'm looking back and trying to tell you about it. Hopefully next week will be much more exciting! Your snow sounds fun...hehe.
Something I shared with Sadie about the scriptures this week, maybe you'll like it!

sScriptures are amazing. 2 Ne 6-8
Ch. 6 about being someone of the Lord by applying and learning from the scritures. Like...
Ch. 7 It is an individual process we have to go through
Ch. 8 Remembering covenants doesn't hurt either.
Just alot of how when we're going through rough times the Lord is there. He is ALWAYS by our side. The only reason he isn't is WE seperate ourselves (7:1) He always calls us, because we can't overcome without Him. If we are doing what we know we should, we know He is there with us. Which means whatever is going on can't overcome us. We just have to go a certain distance until He will take over. Very helpful and comforting, especially since I'm feeling like I am having so little success in the beginning of my mission. Turns a disheartening feeling into almost a ''fine, I'm going to keep going because I know it's right. But I need your help''

I love you all! Really, it's true! Especially you, Mom. Thanks for everything you all do for me.

Your misisonary
Elder Joshua Wartena