Elder Matthew Whittle-- June 26, 2012

Que Paso!

Looks like Elder Simmons and I are staying here in Del Mar. I think this will be my last transfer here, but who knows. I really like it down here. The weather is perfect. Still about 72 degrees:)

 

I saw Elder Barlow this weekend. He came down for C's Baptism. It was awesome. C has such a strong testimony. I love that guy. He was ordained a priest, and called as a ward missionary to come out with us, and help us. We're super excited! After he was baptized he shared his testimony, and the spirit was really strong. You'll have to all meet him one day. It's amazing to see the light that comes into a persons life as they accept the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Things have been going great down here in Del Mar. We've been teaching a ton, and have some baptisms coming up that were really excited for! I love missionary work! It's amazing to see the affect the gospel has on people.

 

Sounds like you all had a pretty good vacation other than everyone getting sick and trying to endure the burning hot weather;) haha should have headed down to Cali. You don't even need air conditioning down here. It's awesome! That's a bummer that everyone got sick. I hope you all get better soon!

I will definitely try to send those pictures today. When you get the memory card you can't loose it ok? haha That would be really sad. Sorry I haven't been able to send them yet. And yes I'm staying healthy;) haha Running every morning does help counter balance all the tortillas we get to eat every day haha.

Wellp love ya all. Hope everyone get's better! Hagan Lo Justo!

 

con amor,

Elder Witle

Elder Garrett Allen-- June 26, 2012

Well this week has been one for the books. I am still in Tucaman in the city of La Banda Del Rio Sali. My first companion in Argentina as on a bus for Salta for a small town outside of the capital. I hope for the best for that kid. He is a great man. At this every moment I am at the bus stops waiting for my new companion. He is from Argentina and doesn´t know english...That is going to be an adventure....We are going to see how that will all work out. I have faith that it will be fun and a new adventure. We will she how the wind blows.
So this week was mostly just watching elder gillis say goodbye to people and having some last lesson with people. We found a good number of news so that was a plus. Now if only they follow through. The mission is an interesting experience that is full of ups and downs. One week everything can be going great and the other week nothing can be working right. It is hard to get everything working out right at times. But for the most part life is good. I can´t really complain about to much. I mean we all just kinda ride the waves of life and try to do are best to get closer to are goals. That is basically all I am doing. It is hard at times to be in this different country with a different language and people and with all of those problems but in the end the world just keeps going and you do to. We do the best with what we are given and just try to keeping walking forward. It will be interesting to see how this next week goes. Hopefully I will be able to keep this area going and keep the lords work alive here.
That is basically all for this week sadly. Next week there will probably be more...WE will see what happens haha. I love you all and hope for the best for you guys take care!!!

Elder Devin Oviatt--June 25, 2012

Any how's yea Im really good. One of the Elders in my Flat left yesterday and that was kinda sad. We met his parents at church and that was really weird. But sunday was really busy. We had 5 Investigators there and it was busy. OH yea and we got cursed by some old lady as we walked past her. that was Interesting. Right now we are in a Tri with elder stewart but he'll get his new companion on wednesday. Wow my first Transfer is done..... that went by sooo Quick! Hows your summer going? I bet It's a lot sunnier than mine! We get our new Mission President this week I believe. There is already some new changes., Im really looking forward to training though. I hope it comes soon. We have our geneology on a tee shirt and I'm the 9th generation of missionaries. That's really cool. Apparently ours is one of the longest ones that's written down. We went through the London Temple on Wednesday. That is really cool. Man this was a really busy week. We did service for a single lady in the ward. We painted 3 three rooms. I found out how much I hate Oil base paints! It is sooo hard to clean.
   There is a ward talent show coming up and we might do something for it. Oh yea so after the Temple. which was with about half the Mission so proably about 20-30 companionships. Our whole Zone did the HAKA! OH MY! it was sooo cool. :) It went really good. It was weird doing it on the Temple grounds but hey President shamo was right there the whole time so its probably fine. We went street contacting in Greenwich , the four of us. It was a Lot of fun. We got a White Board and put the ?, Where do I go when I die? It was where a lot of tourist walk by. We talked to sooo many people. It helped to raise my confidence talking with people by my self or with a companion. Right when we started we had a group of about 15 people walk up to us. But they we're all mormon. haha After they left the real work started. I want to do it again while the Olympics are going on.
   Yea it was a really busy week. Im looking forward to a normal day soon. We havn't had one in probably 5 days. Well that's all for now.
Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.
With Love Elder Oviatt

Elder Garrett Allen-- June 18, 2012

Dear family

So I didn´t get a email from you this week but that is ok. I will just tell you what has been going on. Also if everyone could try to email me sunday and not monday because there is a 3 hour time difference and I might ne emaling at like 11 or 12 here and that means that I wont get any of your emails that day because you will all still be gettin up and all of that jazz so yea.

Anyways this week was a great week. I have learned some sweet piano and done some great work and baptized a family!!! So yea!!! the Family that we baptised is amazing. We have been working with them for a while and we love them so much. We have gone from all of the ups and downs with them and they are very special to me. I know that I will always have a place here in Argentina to stay if I want to haha. The mother basically adopted me and Elder Gillis in to the family. The love us and I love them. There are so many people that I have grown close to here in La Banda. It is crazy to see how fast you can grow a true love for a person when you are trying to help them grow closer to Christ. It is something pretty cool. So it was amazing to help this family get to where they are now. The only sad part is that the father still isn´t really listening to us...But with time that could change! All I know is that family Z. is a very special to me and that I hope that they will continue forward. Also this week we have been teaching a man that basically has a problem with everything but he has a desire to change so YAY!!! that is a good thing and i think that he will make it.

This week has been full of a bunch of ups and downs. I have had some crazy things happen and basically have been all of the place. We will be getting to more elders this week and that should be a blast...not....I is going to be pretty interesting. I will let you know how that goes haha. So that is so great stuff this week. From my comp getting attack almost by a huge dog to crying because of lost haha but the great thing is that there is always a up side. Always a chance to raise from the dust. the shack off the chains that bind us and to rise from the dust!!

Lately I have been thinking about chances....Because I am here to give people the chance to except the gospel...That hit me really strong this week when I ended up contacting a drunk guy on that street. He stopped us and tried to fight us and to argue. i tried to help him and get his address so we could talk to him while he is sober but it ended with him hitting me and cussing at me as i walked away...I got a strong impression in that moment that that was or could be his chance in this life to recieve the gospel or at least take a step closer to the Savior. Sadly he was under the influence of alcohol and missed it. It made me think of the power that satan has over us through distractions. He so easily guides us away by things that take away are "chances" to grow closer to christ. Something like alcohol or anyother distaction or sin puts a hold to are progression. I want to encourage everyone to look for the great "chances" that come from are Heavenly Father and to take advantage of those chances when they come. I think that we should all try to control and crazy parts of life and pay attention to the things that really matter. Are Family and are friends. The moments and time that we give to are Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The beautiful day or the feel of the wind on are face. Things that can give us peace in are times of need. For I know that peace is one of the greatest gifts the lord can give us. I hope that we can all look for those "chances" and enjoy the little things in life. I hope that all of you had a great fathers day also. Being a father is a blessing and a scared responsability to have. It is a truely special gift given to us from are heavenly father and it comes with great responsibilities. But with that there are countless blessings. I am so greatful for the father that I had in my life. For is love and support that I get to feel from him in this life and in the life after. I know that I can be with my father again. I know that I will see him again. I am so greatful for that knowledge that I have. I encourage all of you that still can talk to your fathers to share with them how much you care for them even if right now you feel like they don´t. If you are like me and have lost your father I encourage you to go to there grave and tell them all the same.For we know that the viel is thin and I know that they care hear you. If you have problems with your father try to fix them. Forgive him and yourself and move on. If you have never had a father forgive him anyways and be thankful for the amazing father figures you have had in your life. I have been blessing with many role models and I am very greatfful for them. I  love you all and wish the very best for you! Thank you for making me your son and teaching me by your examples! (My brothers,papa whittle, Shawn theblod, papa moore, papa furgeson, joe christensen, papa christenson, craig nybo, daniel handerson brother kent, Bishop Layton, Brother brimhall(A:K:A: mister service), and so much more. Sorry if your name isn´t here cause i ran out of time haha)I know that fathers love there childern. For God loves all of his Children. I am greatful that my Heavenly Father gave me the amazing "chance" to come to this earth and to learn and grow from my trials and joys. Thank you again for all of the amazing fathers out there!! My the lord bless and take care of you always! I love you all every much and hope that you can all slow down and pay attention to the beautiful things and the amazing chances from god in life! You are all in my thoughts and prayers! TE AMO!!!!

Elder Garrett Steven Allen

Elder Matthew Whittle-- May 12, 2012

Hey sounds like a lot of crazy stuff has been going on back home. That's so sad about Mark's mom! Man I can't even imagine.... I hope he's doing ok. Please keep Mark in your prayers. Wow. So that was a really cool what happened with dad, and Matthew. Tell dad good job for following the spirit. That's so great. Matthew is going to be forever grateful for that talk and the time he was able to spend with dad, and now he's going to be able to help change others lives. That's amazing! It's amazing how the Lord puts people in our paths, and then gives us the words that that person needs to hear so that they can make the change. Really cool miracle. Oh man the single's ward is on fire! It's so much fun! Things are going great. We've had a lot of cool miracles, and the work is going crazy here! We've also been able to find a couple new people for the Spanish Branch so that's going really good as well. This transfer has gone by way to fast! We only have one more week and then it's transfers again. Pretty intense how fast time is going by. What in the world is Cho doing driving a 106,000 dollar car around K-town? haha Tell him I want to race him in Cherry when I get back;) haha I love that guy so much! He's such a stud. Tell him I'm still waiting for my letter from him with a picture of this ridiculous car haha. It's amazing how similar C. is to Cho, (the korean were teaching) He's awesome. I swear he's a twin to Cho. Super cool. And tell Josh that I'm excited to be his companion in August and that I'll be waiting for him at the Church:) Man Brandonian really has to get a surgery? That's a bummer. I feel his pain. I hope everything turns out ok. That's crazy that he has it too. It's not the funnest thing in the world haha. I can't believe how fast I healed from it. That was a real blessing from God. He just needed me to stay home a little bit longer. I'll try and get the pictures off to you today haha. Sorry you know how horrible I am at that stuff haha. Me and my companion have actually set a weekly goal that we have to take a picture a day and if we don't then we have to set the alarm for 3 in the morning haha. So I'll try and work on that:) Ya that sounds like it's the song. It's a good song eh? I like it a lot! That would be sweet to get some new music:) haha that's like the best thing to get. Tell Brando and Laurie hola and that I love them. I guess you could tell Bridge/Jeffy, Megs/Jordan the same thing too if you want;) haha Well hope you all have a great week! Love you all! k bye:) Con Amor, Elder Whittle

Elder Matthew Whittle-- June 5, 2012

Hola Hola! Ya sorry about not getting any pictures to you yet. I'll try and to that soon. haha. I am taking pictures though don't worry:) I bet that's nice to be done with school for a while. What are you going to do with all of your time off? California;) haha. It's so nice down here. I love it! The weather is still around 70 degrees everyday, and super nice:) Can't really complain. I'm glad you were able to share that miracle in your lesson. It was really amazing. He found another job and moved up toward laguna nigel. As far as I know he's going back to church now. Pretty cool experience. We had a super good week last week. We taught a lot of lessons, and found a really cool new family from Oaxca! We went to see a less active who works a ton that I've never seen since I've been here, and after we shared a message with him in walked his roomates, The family from Oaxca, and they immediately started talking to us and then invited us to go sit down and eat dinner with them. So even though we had already eaten we said yes and went and ate dinner. They told us how when they were in Oaxca they were good friends with the missionaries down there, and how they just didn't have time to meet with them. They told us that they love the way that we pray to Heavenly Father in the name of Christ. So we taught them why we do that, and they invited us back again to come eat dinner and teach them more. They're the most loving friendly people I've ever met. It's awesome. Working with the Single's ward is awesome! I love it. Were teaching two people in the singles ward right now and they're awesome! It's a totally different type of work, but it's really fun. The transfer is just flying by because were so busy with the two wards. It's been really fun though. I really hope I don't have to leave this area soon, but I probably will. Cho said he had good news and then didn't tell you what it was? haha What a punk. I love that guy. Everytime we go teach C. I think of Cho. I miss that guy so much. I can't wait to go camping with him again. Cho better not be getting married already! He has to wait for me to get back. haha That would be crazy if he was haha. Tell him hi and that I love him, and that I'm waiting for a letter from him:) Man I hope Josh gets out here soon. The California weather would heal his sickness right up:) I really hope he comes out here to Carlsbad. That would be awesome! I'm praying for him to come here to Cali:) haha Dad needs to take Elder Barlow Fourwheeling or out for hamburgers haha. He's the one that lives in Morgan. He's such a stud. I miss that guy so much. We had a lot of fun. His name is Brayden Barlow. You could look him up on facebook, and hopefully Elder Kidd makes it down to see you guys. I miss him a lot too. The mission is getting weird with everyone leaving, and all new people coming in. Well things are going great. Sounds like they are. Things are going awesome here in Del Mar! I'll try and send you the pictures:) haha Love you all! Que les vaya bien!