Hola!

Okay, so this email is going to be very very short! I'm sorry blog readers... haha  not a lot happened this week.  The only real update is that my companion is on a full hate for me and he doesn't talk to me anymore and he won't walk with me, he won't contact people with me, he won't knock doors with me. Basically this is going to be the loneliest week of my mission, and it happens to be the last one too. Oh joy. Pray for me, I'll need all the patience I can get.  I'm going to try to make the best of this last week. it's going to be awesome! I'll probably cry every night, but...yeah. we´ll see what happens. tears just means your an hombre! jajaja.
Yesterday I went to an evangelical church! jaja   It was the worst thing ever. Our investigator said he would go to general conference if we came to his church first, sooo heck yeah!  We have someone coming to church finally!   At the church of the evangelicals all they do is sing and dance.. its a concert, not a worship service. The spirit can't be felt there..bleh.  It was super interesting to see what it was like though.
Oh yeah, so we went on exchanges with members, I went to the church with a youth in the ward. that was weird haha.
Okay, so my final words.. I loved being a missionary, its the best thing I've ever done in my life. period. I could write a whole book of this because it was the best, but I don't have time for that. I going to miss this experience forever. this last week is going to be great. im fully taking advantage! i love you guys, and I'll see you all next week. Thanks for all of the support that you've given me through these 2 years. you're all the reason why I'm still sane! haha  okay goooodbye!!

Elder wheelwright

Hola familia! 

This week the email will be super short because I don't have a lot of time...grrr... it always happens. But yeah, this week was cool. We worked super hard and even more harder, but...we only found some mediocre people...no one super cool. No one came to church this Sunday (in terms of investigators)...wahhh... :(    But I'm still going to keep going. It seems like that world just wants to stop me from working and yeah. I'm never going to give up.  I had more problems with my comp this week. But yeah, I'll be okay. Just gotta endure to the end. I think I'll miss him though when its all over. 

 Okay...so last minute things... anyone want stuff..?? haha. you have to tell me by next Monday when I'm on the computer...cuz thats my last time writing.. UGH!  I'm freaking out, but a friend gave me some advice to just enjoy the time I have left without thinking of the future and what is going to happen. Apparently you can enjoy life better with doing this...haha. I'm going to try it out. 

Okay I love you family! CHAU!!!

Elder Wheelwright

Hi mom! Oh...and family!! 

We´re doing better now, I'm  just trying to battle his lazy problems now, but that's okay. we're going to get rid of that super fast! So yeah, the giant family isn't great at all. They had huge potential, but we dropped them because the mom basically told us that she has her church and that she's scared to go to ours and yeah... wont commit and makes excuses. They were so great though!!! 

Okay so I don't have a ton if time to write, so I'll just make this super short! 

This week we did an extra reinforcement in our area. A Reinforcement is when lots of missionaries come to work in your area to help you out. I asked the zone leaders to do it.  But we found lots of people in our area! It was awesome, but when we passed by for a second time,.... it wasn't so great. No one wanted to listen to us. Sad day. This area has really gotten me down recently. 

But something interesting happened to me this Sunday. It was awesome and a miracle for me. So recently I've been super worried about not having success and results here. That I'm ending my mission and have nothing to show for it. On Saturday, I was talking to this lady in our branch, she's super awesome. We happened to cross her in the street. I was like yeah, we're going to go visit this lady, hopefully to find some results. On Sunday, she randomly came up to me after sacrament meeting. And she was like, Elder Wheelwright, I've really been thinking about what you said to me yesterday about having results. You're doing your job, planting seeds. Sometimes results aren't necessary to know that you're doing a good thing. She then shared her conversion experience with me. About how there weren't any results in 6 months with her. They didn't want anything to do with what the missionaries were saying. But the simple seed that was planted, grew in the end. Really... hearing that brought me so much peace. It strengthened my testimony that God loves me and that he is aware of everything that happens in my life, he knows my worries too. The Hermana Soria told me exactly what i needed to hear, when I needed to hear it. It was my awesome experience of the week. I'm super excited to still have 3 weeks left to work, I know its hard and it wont get any easier. But I will prevail! 

I love you guys so much, thanks for always being a solid support for me in everything. <3 

p.s.... any last minute stuff you guys want.. let me know. haha don't be afraid to tell me! Chau!

Elder Wheelwright

Hola!

Yeah, so I'm basically freaking out. I dont have a ton of time, so I have to do this super quick! Okay...so. I'm not getting along with my comp at all.  I'm not going to throw in a whole lot of details, but you can read about it all in my journal..haha... yikes!

 I'll get a new temple reccomend at the end of my mission from Presidente Parreño, so its all good.   So I leave at night or in the morning on tuesday april 8th.. so I'll get home wednesday April 9th.. 

 

So yeah, here in Millamapu, were having a little bit of a rough patch. Besides the fact of not working in unity, no one wants to listen to us at all. We do have one investigator who promised that she will come to church next week. its a giant family too, so were going to teach her daughters and stuff if we can. She's a little wierd and protective, but yeah. And she talks a ton too.  Its almost impossible teaching. But she teaches her kids good values... like no swearing, no leaving to go to clubs at night, no smoking and drinking, etc. its awesome. She's practically already mormon. Also.. her boyfriend (who she won't let live in her house at all unless she has a ring) is mormon and inactive. Sooo yeah. That's basically is what we have going on for us right now. 

Something funny happend this week, we were walking and a big trunk passed by and he splashed us with mud and water and stuff. I just laughed my head off haha, but my comp was super mad! hahaha see the pictures. 

Okay so yeah, Ive got to run! Love you guys!!! CHAU!!

Elder Wheelwright

Hola!

Hola!
To answer your question, yeah I'm a medium now. Its a great time to come home, because all the snow stuff is on clearance! haha yesss! time for new snow pants and a new jacket! :D :D :D I want to look at stuff too. Do you think there will still be stuff when I'm at home?    I miss the rain, in Bahia it doesn't rain as much as Mar Del Plata....lame.    HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DAD ON FRIDAY!!! :D :D hahaha.
My area here in Millamapu is pretty hard, I'm not going to lie. I'm trying to keep a really great attitude, but its kind of hard. We're going to have success here no matter what! My companion is doing okay. We don't have the same goal and the same mindset. I'm working like mad and focusing on finding people, and he only wants to stop by less actives that he's made friends with. My ZLs and DL understand the situation though, so they just try to help me out. Its like a secret effort behind my companions back, but still.. its necessary.
Okay, I know I've asked this a million times..but is there anything else that you guys want me to buy from here?   I'm down to my last days of doing it, so let me know!
Ohh, so yesterday we had stake conference and I got to see all the converts from Villa Harding Green. They are all still super strong!   The mom Rosana has a calling teaching primary! :D   Its the best, its a super blessing being able to see that. That's why I'm not super bitter about being here anymore. I think of it like this... I get that blessing of seeing them, in trade for being in the area where I'm at now. haha. Just kidding, it's not that bad.
Okay, so this week our focus is find and find and find and find. We need investigators, we basically don't have any.   So this weeks email will be a little short, sorry.  Next week I hope to have lots of stories to tell about our success! It's going to happen, so be prepared for it!
 People keep asking me if I'm trunky...and the answer is nooooo. haha. I'm really not, I mean I'm super excited to go home and see you guys and all, but I'm super sad more than anything. I don't want to leave! They are going to have to drag me to the airport.. but yeah. This is part of the mission, the transition back into the real world...but hey, that's in 5 weeks... I've got plenty of time. I'm just going to go convert the world! haha   Okay I gotta run! I love you guys!! Chau!! :):) :) :)

Elder Wheelwright

Hola!!

Okay! So this week was super awesome with the baptism and all!  It was an awesome service and everything.  Cristina invited her friends and family and everything and lots of people came. She has no shame at all, she's proud to be una mormona hahaha. I love her so much, I wish you could meet her. We´re going to skype with her when I get home!!  I got to baptize her, in the freezing cold water. Even though its hot outside, it still sucked. The water heater decided to stop working...
Okay.. so I have some really sad news.  I got freaking transfered! noooooooooooooooooo!   :( :( :( :( :( :(   I left the beautiful city of Mar Del Plata and now I'm here in Bahia Blanca again, right next to my old area of Villa Harding Green. Bleh,  I don't want to be here at all.  I had the greatest ward and the best converts ever in Mar Del Plata... I had a giant family!  Now I'm going to end my mission in this area called ¨Millamapu¨ where I'm in a branch and there are only 20 members...gah.  No one knows me and yeah, it's going to be lame. I'm going to make the best out of it and baptize the world here, but still.  Also its a semi rich area.. My companion is from Peru and he's 25 years old, umm his name is hard. I'm going to look at his name tag... Elder Huacachi.  Wow, yeah I still don't know how to pronounce that, but still. He's pretty cool.  He studied kung fu and he has a tattoo. haha   So yeah, its going to be interesting though. I'm still so sad, I had to leave all of my converts. You don't even know how hard I cried with them. haha  it was embarrassing. I couldn't even talk at all..lame. But it eventually came out though. I´ve come to love these people so much, its not fair that they are taking me away! I want to stay...ugh. Sometimes I can't understand the reasons for transfers, but God does. I just have to trust in the revelation. I guess my mission in Mar Del Plata was completed.  
Oh also, one of my really good friends Elder Schroeder is going home to his house right now.  Nooo! Also yeah, last transfer! :(   It's soo crazy that its almost all over. I'm not happy about it. I told this to Nikki, that your whole mission you think about going home, and then in the end you want nothing to do with it. You just want to stay forever. The plus side of this transfer is that I can see all of my converts in my old area. I'm going to love that! 
Okay, well that's pretty much whats up with my life right now.  Any questions?
I'll send in the temple thing to get it done, it looks pretty great!  I love you guys a lot!  Until next week!!

Elder Wheelwright

Alright so this week was pretty lame, my email is going to be really short too..wahh wahh wahh. You´ll never guess who got sick this week! :(   Yupp..thats me. I basically couldn't eat anything at all or it left immediately. I leave it at that. haha. I was on a diet of rice and water and nothing else. My stomach always killed me, even now I'm not 100%.   Its a good thing that my investigator and recent convert are nurses/doctors!   I was blessed in that sense (trying to see the positive in the dark hole I was in haha). They helped me out and even brought me pills and medication to the house. I'm super grateful for them. Now I'm doing pretty good. I'm still watching what I eat, nothing too intense, but yeah. I was basically out for this week.
Our baptism is so on for this Saturday.  Cristina is super solid and there is nothing in the world that could happen that could change her mind. She just got back from vacations, so we couldn't teach her all this week. But she brought her BOM with her and all of her family gave her crap for it and they were talking bad, etc. But she didn't let that bother her at all. She told us that she just cried and took it haha.  I think that trial strengthened her testimony a lot. We were worried that something bad was going to happen, and it did. but she came back better than ever!
Also... this weekend we planned out a missionary activity. It was a tarta making contest, yummm! hahaha. The ward didn't super support us, only 20 people came and the majority were less actives and investigators..but still. It was awesome. We played a few games and then we all tried the tartas and then voted. My companion and I wore chef uniforms... = awesome! Sooo out of everyone Cristina won the competition.. yay! she was stoked. The prize for first place was something we just found in the house, since were a little broke. It was a package of cookies, a salami stick, and a game of ninja turtles tops. haha it was the best. Everyone had a great time.
That was my week. we already have transfers this weekend ugh. I hate this. This will determine where I'm going to ¨die¨. I hope I stay! Also my pal Elder Schroeder is going home this weekend... noooo! So that's going to be sad. Okay well, I better run! I'll be praying for snow in the mountains in April haha. legit! Love you all!!

Elder Wheelwright


ps:  I just received something called trunky papers.. I have to fill it out so they know where to buy my airplane ticket...they will be in contact with you guys in a couple weeks. Shoot, I dont like this....haha. Chau!!

Hola!

Dang! I'm loving the snow picture! I'm so jealous... it made me happy to see it though. I'm still here burning in the heat, bleh. But that's okay! I'm hoping that it will still be cold when I get home :D  That would be ideal. Also happy birthday to Nathan!! He looks super different now! Like one of those kids from one direction...hehaha ;) . Umm.. So yeah. happy birthday to you. P.s. I like your shirt.
This week was pretty low key, we taught Cristina again (the doctor) and she is doing awesome, she told us the other day that she knows the BOM is true! She left for vacations this week to go to Cordoba (another providence) and she's getting back this Tuesday (AKA tomorrow.)  But yup! she´s still on date for the 22nd. Its going to be great!
Yesterday Carlos received the Aaronic priesthood! He´s a priest! :D :D yay!  Also the family was assigned some really awesome active home teachers, so they are going to be super supported. Tonight we have dinner with them, were eating something called canelones.. I know what it is, but I can't describe it haha. Its good though, look it up.
OH! So I finally got the package! THANKS! The stickers and ctr rings are great. I'm going to pass them out like mad, (obviously not to everyone though, duh) haha It looks like everything made it safely though! ;) the socks were needed, so thanks for that! Umm the kit kats were great too, although it came in a giant clump/ball, it still tasted pretty great though.
We tried to focus this week on finding new people, it always seems to be the case haha. I had exchanges though, and my comp. got sick and yeah. Our week was okay, we didn't find anyone too great or prepared. I'm having a problem now that I am expecting to find super prepared people like Cristina and Mary and Carlos. But I have to keep reminding myself that some are more prepared than others.
I gotta run, but I love you guys a ton! thanks for all the emails and everything! you´re the best!

Elder Wheelwright

 

 

Hola familia!

I don't have a ton of time, but this week was pretty great! We had our 2 baptisms with Mary and Carlos! They are so awesome. They were having major health problems the day before, but they came anyways. They are so strong and legit. I baptized Carlos and my comp. baptized Mary. Soo great!  We did it on the first try too. They showed up before us to the church and in matching outfits! Cooooolio! When Carlos came out of the water with me, he turned to his wife (who was waiting to be baptized still) and he said with the biggest smile on his face ¨I'm already baptized mama, I'm born again¨. It was so great and just made me super happy.
Our doctor investigator came to the baptism and she said that she felt a spirit soo strong during the ordinances, and she was crying the whole time. She said she received her answer that its what she needs to do, be baptized. so while we were eating refreshments afterwards, she was telling everyone that she decided to be baptized. It was such a miracle. So I have a testimony that bringing investigators to baptism works! They can receive their answer right then. Christina (thats her name) is so prepared. She understands everything and agrees with it all. She loves the Book of Mormon too. Umm so on an appointment we had with her, we accidentally broke the word of wisdom. We drank green tea! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I wasn't sure if were allowed to drink it or not, and my comp. wasn't either haha. So we did it, it was nasty. I'm never going to do it again! NASTYY!! Okay, well yeah.
So we're preparing Christina for her baptism on the 22nd aka the end of this transfer. Our week was pretty hectic with everything about the baptisms. Sunday Mary and Carlos were confirmed. And then Mary went up and shared her testimony from the pulpit. They are really so amazing. What a blessing it was to find them. They are going to be the strength in the ward, I know it.
Okay well I gotta run! I love you guys a lot! Chau!!

Elder Wheelwright

Hola!

Hola Mom!
Well  - This week was pretty great. Yes, our golden couple is still golden. They are having a little bit of problems giving up smoking, but they are on their way to overcome it!!  We announced their baptism for this Saturday in church! whoooo!! :D  
So another awesome miracle happened this week. On Friday night we were knocking doors at like 8:30,  at the last second of our day.  We knocked at this one house with this big gate and it was dark. I thought that no one lives there or that no one was home, but we decided to knock it anyways. This lady named Christina came out and she said that she was busy but that we could come back tomorrow during the siesta, legit!   So we came back and she was actually there! We had a super lesson with her, I say super because it was 3 hours long and we taught lesson 1, lesson 2 and temple marriage haha. Holy crap! This lady doesn't really belong to any church, but she has her own beliefs.   Luckily, all of her beliefs are the same as ours! haha legit. She loves the Book of Mormon, and to her it make sense that Jesus would visit the people in the Americas. She agreed to everything. This is like the most prepared person I've ever met. She told us that she normally rejects everyone that knocks on her door, and that she wasn't sure why she told us to come back. But in the end of the lesson she said she was glad she did! Oh, did I mention she´s a doctor too? haha   She treats people with problems in their veins. Holy cow, we found someone amazing! She is going to be baptized for sure. We invited her to church and she showed up the next day on Sunday in her car. She loved everything about church too, she felt comfortable and welcome and it was what she was looking for. She's read a lot in the BOM already too and she understands it completely.   I told her that there is a movie about when Christ comes to the Americas called "The Testamentos", and she wants to watch it.  haha.   So awesome! Recently we've been finding golden people. I really do have a testimony now that God prepares people before we even show up! It's real because I've seen it!
This week we also got really creative about the not smoking stuff with Mary and Carlos. We made them a bunch of posters and put it all over their house.  haha   There is an envelope attached at the bottom that has candy in it, so they can eat it instead of smoking.
Oh, so the ecclesiastic endorsement is already done, I checked it today and my President already did it!  Now I'm just waiting on the transcripts.   Sorry that I don't have more time to write, I always run out of time! Have an awesome week! I love you all!! Chau!!

Elder Wheelwright

Hola!!

Ohhhhhhmy gosh! Holy cow.. ARGENTINA!!! HECK YEAH! (Travis's cousin got his mission call)   Yeah the Neuquin mission is pretty cool from what I've heard. Man I can't believe he's coming down here, its the best. Yeah, I'll have to give him the scoop. basically all of my rules apply to him, because they are from the area presidency. soo.. try mate now, drink a ton of coke now, and umm yeah. haha. Thats so exciting!! ARGENTINA!!! WHOOO!!! Represent! haha
umm vacations...crap. This is all trunky stuff, but it had to be talked about haha. California ehh...pretty legit. Umm I'll be willing to go whenever I guess, but I do plan on getting a job though. So we´ll see how that plays out. Everyone needs to start getting beach bodies ready...hahaha SYKE. Beach house in oceanside...mehh... I'm a fan of hotels and yeah big cities...but umm yeah, think about it!
Still haven't gotten my package yet...I'm starting to get worried that something happened to it unfortunately.  I never got the one from Alisha either or the one from my friend in Spain, so something is happening..shoot. I'll update you guys on that.
Umm so yeah the superbowl! That's awesome!! I've been talking to the Bullock family (from Colorado - in my visa waiting area) for awhile now about the possibilities of this happening, and it did!! (Seattle vs. Denver)  GAHHH!! Too bad I won't be there to watch it. But that's okay, saving souls is better than any football game!! haha yeah! Make sure you talk smack to them haha :P :P Broncos are lame......booooooooooo. haha

Okay, so my comp. Elder Chapuis from Uruguay is awesome. We get along great and we have personalities pretty much the same. Its just that he doesn't speak English though, but he wants to learn! I'm his first North American companion ever. yeah!
This week wasn't that great. Of the 22 we found, pretty much 0 are still listening to us. The golden couple is amazing. they went to church this week again and they are getting baptized for sure. They are super smokers, but when we taught the word of wisdom to them, they were ready to drop it ASAP.   Also we were worried about tithing, but what do you know. on Sunday, everyone talked about tithing.    We haven't even taught tithing yet and they told us after.."so we talked about it and were going to pay tithing" haha...it was so great.
Recently I've been noticing the difference between people that God has already prepared and people that aren't prepared. We're still workiing with Diego, but we're going to drop him today.
My companionship right now is awesome, I'm happy. Now were just looking for some awesome people to teach. Pray for us!
Also..thanks for all the college info. It kinda overwhelmed me haha. I'm going to print everything out today and then do it during this week with permission. Thanks for much for everything,seriously.   I miss you guys a ton! Have an awesome weeeeek!!! :D :D :D :D Chau!!

Elder Wheelwright

Hola!

my white car died???? NOOO hahaha.
Okay, so transfers.. really fast, I don't have much time. I stayed here in Mar Del Plata and my comp left to go to Bahia Blanca. I am actually sad that he left...we got to be pretty good friends in the end. Funny how things change. In the beginning, I was pretty much dreading my life, but these past few weeks...it was fun. Sad day. My new comp is a Latino again....noooo! haha I'm not racist, I just get along better with Americans. His name is Elder Chapuic from Uruguay! He is pretty cool, I can tell that we're going to get along good. He might even be the one that "kills"  me, but we´ll wait 6 weeks before we talk about that haha.
Umm so this week was awesome, we found 22 new investigtors and we taught 36 lessons!! It was the best thing ever, we worked dang hard.. and we also left with some members. They helped us out a lot! About this old couple, they are so awesome! they went to church this past Sunday and they made lots of friends at church! they are so going to get baptized on the first of February! The only hurtle they have to jump is quitting smoking.. so we´ll see how that's going to go, but I have faith! We have to teach them slowly, so they understand. Like 3 lessons to cover the first lesson, etc. But they are so golden!  :D :D :D   I am happy to stay in my area for them, and because everything is picking up now. But I also wanted to move, but I'm content for now :D  We're going to work super hard with my current companion now. Baptize everyone hahaha :)
Thanks so much for the email guys and I love you all!  I'm going to talk to my mission president to get permission for the BYU thing this week. Yeah I want to apply to Provo and Idaho. We'll sorry for the short email!   I don't have any more time! Love you guys, chau!!!

Elder Wheelwright

My old companion.

Hola family! 

Well new years was pretty awesome here. I can't believe that 2013 is already gone and here we are in 2014!  Where has the time gone!!  No one invited us over to eat with them on new years, so we spent it in the house together. We bought 3 kilos of chorizos and we had something called choripan. Its where you take the chorizo and put it in between bread. elegant, no? haha   Also there is this sauce called chimichurri that you use. Its amazing. wait... it was amazing. I never want to eat it again though haha.  There were a ton of fireworks here, holy cow! It was awesome. 

Oh, so today is a holiday here. Well kind of. Its called Dia De Los Reyes or Day of the Kings. Tradition is that you put your shoes out (last night) and on the 6th, in the morning, the 3 wise men or kings put gifts by your shoes. It's pretty big here. I'm going to start it up in the states. Its an excuse to get more presents haha. 

So you guys painted huh? that's cool. I also painted this week as a service activity for this old lady. I painted a wood ceiling for 2 hours. My neck and my right arm were killing me!! ugh haha.  We found this lady knocking doors.  She talked to the missionaries 38 years ago in a different providence here in Argentina but for some reason, she didn't get baptized. So yeah, its destiny! We found her again! She's way nice and invited us to lunch. 

So I'm not sure what were going to do with Diego. He didn't come to church again, and on Saturday he broke his goal of quitting smoking and drinking after more than a month of being clean. UGH. He went to a club with a friend from work...we might end up dropping him as an investigator. It makes me so sad that people don't understand the gospel. But at the same time, I can't expect him to be perfect.  He's human just like I am, o sea.. imperfect. 

Transfers are coming up this weekend! I'm now sure what's going to happen.  I have 3 transfers in this area already, so we'll see what happens.
Well I gotta run family, I love you all!!! Chau!!

Elder Wheelwright

Happy New Year!!