July 25, 2011

Hello,

     How's everyone?  Wow, time is really going.  I'm almost at 10 months.  We had two people in church; one that is progressing, her name is Estella Bustos.  Shes kinda weird but thats ok, she has a fake eye and she likes to talk.  She is an older woman that lives sola.  She believes that certain rocks give off good energy too.  she also believes the Book of Mormon gives off good energy, so that's a step.  I gave another talk yesterday on charity,  I think it went pretty good.  I sure am grateful to live in Utah where the church is so strong.  I have had members tell me that they have been hurt more by other members of the church than anyone else in their life.  It's so sad because church is supposed to be a place where we go to feel better and to be with others who share the same beliefs as us.

      It's really great how much we learn as missionaries in one week.  We learn many things that will help us not only in the mission but also to be better husbands, fathers, and future leaders of the church.  I have already grown so much in the mission and I still feel like I'm one of the new guys.

      Speaking of the change of the presidents, I think if we see a change in the way things run it will be this next week, because the zone leaders are going to their first meetings with him, and thats usually when things change is in those meetings.

      Well I just got you a bunch of new pictures up on the Costco website, from tranfer 5 and some of 6. When I get home I will have to explain to you what they all mean and who they all are.

       Elder Drennan is my comp.  He is from Folsom, California, the same place as the Folsom Prison.  We get along really well.  The other day we got sixteen peso milanesa sandwhiches, they were the best sandwhich I've had in this country.  I took a picture of half of it.  They are huge, and it equivalates to 4 dollars.

       Our other 4 best investigators kind of stopped answering our calls when we went to their house, so we are a little confused.  That's what's hard is people don't tell you to your face that they aren't interested and then you try to get a hold of them and they just get more annoyed.

      I haven't really thought too much about souvenirs.  I'm thinking I will do that stuff the week before I go.  I do have a goat horn that I wrote Malargue on though.  I will get some mates, and some jerseys, maybe a bottle of wine or two, and some steak knives, I don't know we will see.

      Yeah the computers kind of suck, but the one I got today is pretty good.  Yes I live in La Consulta.

      I'm good with clothes and everything.  I sleep great; I don't even know where I would find an animal skin, maybe that will be something to get as a souvenior.

      Are you guys at the cabin where I wrecked that four wheeler?  Tell everyone hello for me.  Sounds like you are all having a good time.  When we went out there as a scout group there were some drunk guys who had a flat tire too, they had driven on it for quite awhile.  Speaking of drunk people, I'm so glad that public intoxication is illegal back home.  Because here it's not and teenagers drink right in front of the cops but they don't do anything.  Oh and did I tell you that the other day we walked up to a guy and a girl and asked him what he was up to, and he said smoking marijuana, and sure enough he was rolling a doobie right on a street in broad daylight.

     The only unusual animals I have seen are the dogs.  They are everywhere, and they all are jacked up. There is one close to our pensh that turns in circles randomly when he is walking.  All the dogs close to the ice cream stores are super fat, and we saw one go and sniff horse dung, and then it plowed it's head right into it.  It was way gross, but we laughed for awhile.  The bunny tasted better than chicken, maybe more like goat, or it could have just been how it was seasoned.

     Right now I'm reading more Preach my Gospel , and I'm in 1st Corinthians.  I love the four gospels and Jesus the Christ, they really changed my perspective on him.

     Well hope all is well and hope you enjoy the pictures.  The picture of white and yellow stuff in a cup is milk I bought from a store, then I put it in a microwave and all this butter came to the top.  Not sure that's normal.

Love,

Elder Wharton

July 18, 2011

     I'm so sorry to hear about Justine's death.  I can't imagine how difficult that would be.
     I spent the last hour trying to load photos and I almost had it and then nothing.  So, you might be a little disappointed.
     Being a district leader is going good.  Our district does really well.  We still haven't been able to get anyone in church though.  I live in La Consulta, 64 ejercito de los andes oeste, I think.  We are doing well, and me and my comp are getting a long really well.  Remember the video of Blaine reaching into the hole in the bathroom, I almost did that but instead the land lady said she will get it fixed.  When we shower and use the bathroom, nasty water starts to come up from the floor.  But she should take care of it today.
     This week we had a little competition in the zone and we did really well.  We got 32 news with 16 baptismal fechas.  Most won't progress, but some of them will be pretty good.  We got into a house of an Italian guy, who spoke French, now he speaks Italian, English and Spansih.  He showed us pictures of his trips to Italy and they looked sweet.  The buildings look so old and gothic.  He went to the biggest cathedral in the world.  He spoke a little Italian for us too.  They are super Catholic.  Their son is training to be a fighter pilot, but all the planes in Argentina are like what we used 50 years ago.  He talked about how Argentina compared to the states and Italy has no organization and it's dangerous and there is a lack of respect.
      I also did divisions with an elder in my district from Peru.  He says they eat like giant hamsters up there; he also showed me a picture.  I ate some kind of bunny meat with bread at some inactives house.  It was way good, they said in summer if I'm here they will take me to hunt bunnys with dogs.  Another inactive family eats armadillo and they said if I'm here in the summer I can go with them too.  Anyway, the area is really pretty, it's snowing right now.  The mountains are huge, jagged rocky, and snowy.  We have nice houses in the area, and vineyards and orchards around the outside of the town.
       Being a couselor here pretty much just means that I help count tithing.  But it's pretty cool to see how careful the church is with that.  Then we take the cash and a card to a pago rapido, or fast pay and they swipe the card and all that money electronically goes to Salt Lake City.
         We have a few good investigators, Janina and Evan.  Janina is a cop and they are super nice and happy.  They lost a daughter after a few months of having her.  There is alson Analia and Brandon; they are all really nice.  We just need to help them get to church.
         Well, I am thankful for the package and the prayers.  I love the real candy, and the gravy and spices.  I really wish the computers here didn't suck but, I will have to try next time.
         Oh, the American Cup is going on too.  Argentina already lost but it's cool to walk by houses and you can see every house has the TV turned on to the game, and when you knock on the door, they just say ... Do you want to come in and watch the game?   It sure is a huge thing here.  Thanks so much for everything. I'm going to go now and hopefully get you pictures the next time.
Love,
Elder wharton
i will be praying for the barnecks.

New Area-La Consulta-July 11, 2011

Hello,

    I can't tell you anymore about Malargue.  I left there Tuesday at 1 in the morning.  I am now in the zone Valle de Uco.  It's in between Mendoza and San Rafael.  My area is called La Consulta, and my comp is Elder Drennan, he has 2 transfers. I also found out when I got here that I'm the district leader.  It's my first time, and I'm not too sure what to do, but I am learning.  The area is super pretty and it's smaller than Malargue.  The city is really clean, and nice.  I told my comp it looks like it could be in the states.  On the outskirts of the city there are big fincas, or grape vineyards and every once in a while there is a big winery. The huge Andes Mountains are really close.  They are very jagged and snow capped.  It's warmer here than it was in Malargue.  The mornings and at night before getting to the pench it's pretty cold.  We have a giant old two story house that is our church building, but once again our assistences or people we have in church is like 20 or 30 and there are about 300 and more members in the area.  We eat with an inactive family named Popik.  His grandpa was in the Ukraine.  He went to England I think, and then got on a ship which he thought was going to the US.  Turns out it went to Brazil, so now he lives in Argentina.  He speaks a bit of English, supposedly he was president of the rama once, but now he's inactive.  We have a few people we are working with in the area. Janina, Analia and Brandon.  They are the ones that from what I can see are the most promising.  So there is a lot of tracting to do.  I don't think it's possible to get rid of tracting down here. It's what we do most of the day.

     Oh,  so I'm also a counselor in the rama.  We help the president handle the tithing.  I was sitting at the table to do the sacrament.  I did the sacrament. and then the president handed me a letter that said. ¨"you need to introduce yourself and talk about the obra misional, you have 15 min" so luckily I had a small talk on the obra missional in my backpack, so I spoke and added some parts to my talk.  It sure was exciting.

     We got into a house and taught a guy a great lesson on the plan of salvation.  He seemed really interested, and we put a baptisimal fecha with him.  He told us the next day (Sunday) to come and get him for church, so we did, and no one answered.  We started walking away from the house, and then some drunk people came up to us and started telling us how good the wine here is and told me to drink some.  Then behind the drunk guy I saw the guy who we had the great lesson with stick his head out the door.  So I went towards the door and said hey, and then he closed the door and didnt answer it.  We kind of deal with stuff like that here.  People just don't turn out to be how they seem a lot of the time.

      I'm glad to hear that Steve got home safe.  It sounds like you guys will have a lot of fun at the wedding and in California.  I went to the Six Flags in Ohio and it was way fun.  That was for the Scout Jamboree.

      Tell Kylee happy b'day for me.  That's so crazy; she's growing up.

Oh yeah and my area is like a 40 min collectivo or bus ride away from the other missionaries in the zone, so once again we are kind of away from everyone.  But at least I see them once a week.  Well thanks for the letter.  I hope all is well back home.

     I tried to send pictures today but the computer wouldnt pick it up.

     Yeah so we met President Avila and his family.  He has 3 kids here with him.  He doesn't speak English though.  But he seems pretty good, I just got to meet him briefly and then he gave a talk on the plan of salvation, and related it to the mission.

Any who, I love you all.  Thanks for the letter.

Oh and I picked up the package from the offices this week, and I'm not sure how long it was there.  So, yeah I got it.  It was 71 pesos to pick up.  Thanks so much, the socks look way nice, and the gravies will be sweet.  I'm way excited for the seasonings.  Thanks for the candy and especially the hymn book, and shirt.

Love,
Elder Wharton