April 25, 2016

Jacob wrote a bunch of short emails on Monday.  We'd be in the middle of reading one and - ding! - here's another email.  Here they are:

In the Field!
So I'm here and Iove it!

I am in the city of Tucuman! It is about 4 hours from Salta! I am with Elder Guzman, and he is from Bolivia! He is close to 20 months in his mission, and he has learned English really well! It has been a blessing! I get along with him really well. He is a hard worker, and he is busy with families and investigators!

The people here are super humble. There are some different things here. They burn their trash in the streets. There are horse and carriages. Almost all the houses are cement. Our pension [apartment] is pretty nice compared to the other places. I was told that they don't eat a lot of rice but when I got here I have already had 3 dishes with rice. I have had locra, which is a soup. I have had bombaspapas, I think is what it is called. It is meat with fried potato on the outside. I have had churri pan, which is a churrizo sausage in a bun. The food is amazing..

I mainly just bare my testimony right now. We asked some people where they thought I was from and I have gotten. Brazil, and Bolivia. Kinda funny. My Spanish, of course is not that good right now but a lot of the families have said they can understand me when I do speak. 

Supposedly people from Tucuman are hard to understand and its true. I can understand maybe 1 out of 4 of the people here and the other times my companion helps me out.

The MTC was great but the field is way different. I still have a lot to learn. We played soccer this morning and it was so fun!

I really do love it here. It is different, its a different culture, and its not what I'm used to but its so worth it.

I miss all of you guys and I have been thinking about all of you!

Second email, no title

I have realized that Americans feel entitled to almost everything. Here, people just work together. In driving, and in other things. I was telling my companion that it amazes me how easy it is to say hi, and to receive a welcoming hi back. I told him in america if you did that it would almost be weird. I love how willing people are to talk about religion. I love the welcoming culture. I feel  so important when they offer me food or anything. Its just such a nice culture. 

Sunday!

Their [church] building is actually pretty nice! This Sunday we had 69 in church attendance. I got to present myself and I told them that I know that the church is the same in all the world and that they were like my family. I guess this week was the most in attendance that they have had. We started off the morning trying to get people to come and going to their houses. Three didn't answer and one of the investigators canceled. It was kind of depressing and we went to church. Sure enough they started coming to church and we had 7 investigators there. It was a milagro!! Miracle!!!

Mas

Anyway we cross the street whenever we want even if there's cars coming. haha. There's tons of dogs everywhere. I only pet the ones inside houses though! haha

In addition to a plethora of emails, we got pictures from Jacob and from the mission office.  The mission office has been great about communicating and keeping us updated, and we have even been invited to a Facebook group for the Salta Argentina Mission (The group name is "MISION ARGENTINA SALTA 2014-2017 Argentina Salta Mission")

And tons of pictures!

.

April 21, 2016

Alas, no letter from Jacob this week.  He traveled from the Buenos Aires MTC to his mission in Salta.  His P-Day is now Monday and that's when we'll receive letters.

We got this nice email from the Salta Argentina Mission Office.  The English translation comes after the Spanish version.

¡Querida Familia!

Estamos muy agradecidos por tener a sus hijos (sus misioneros) en la Misión Argentina Salta. Ellos han llegado a Salta después de un viaje largo. Queremos que ustedes sepan que ellos llegaron con seguridad y que ellos han sido asignados a sus primer áreas. Gracias por su amor y sacrificio y por dejar que sus hijos sirvan una misión. Es un placer conocerles y ¡estamos animados para servir con ellos por el resto de sus misiones!

Gracias de nuevo por dejarnos servir con sus hijos y sabemos que ellos van a tener mucho éxito.

Para mandar paquetes y cartas a su misionero, la dirección de la misión es

Nombre de Misionero

Casilla de Correo 429

4400 Salta

Salta

Argentina

Solo podemos recibir paquetes mandados por correo normal, no podemos recibir paquetes de FedEx, DHL, etc.

Si ustedes tienen preguntas o necesitan algo de nosotros por favor avísennos.

Escucharán de sus misioneros el lunes, ellos tienen hasta el 18:30 de la tarde para escribir.

Que Tenga Un Lindo Día, 

 _________________________________________________________________________

 Dear Family!

We are so grateful to have your sons and daughters serving in the Argentina Salta Mission. They arrived in Salta after a very long few days of travel. We want you to know that ALL made it safe and sound and have been assigned to their first areas! Thank you for your love and sacrifice and especially for letting your missionary serve the Lord. It is a pleasure to know and we are excited to serve with them for the rest of their missions.

Thank you again for letting them serve and we know they are going to have a lot of success.

If you want to send letters or packages to your missionary the address is

Your Missionary’s Name

Casilla de Correo 429

4400 Salta

Salta

Argentina

We can only receive packages from normal mail services (like USPS). We can’t receive packages from FedEx, DHL, UPS, etc. They’ll get stuck in customs.

If you have any questions or need anything from us just let us know. You’ll hear from your missionaries next Monday, they have till 6:30 to write.

Have a Great Day,

April 14, 2016

Hello Family!

So this is my last week at the MTC it's been a little hectic. I believe it is next Tuesday that I leave for the field. I might get to email when i get there but if I don't, I will be able to on the next Monday.

Hermana Benton, the president's wife, just told us the other day that the yogurt stuff is good for you, and I have been drinking it every morning. I don't know  if it's actually good for because its so dang good. I'm honestly excited to wake up so that I can have my cereal with yogurt haha.

So this week was interesting. One of the Elders had a problem and he had to be taken to the hospital. It was a North American elder, and so that threw us off. His companion stayed with him a night, and then they got my companion to stay with him for a night. We have been kind of switching around and what not. Anyway, my companion Elder Harding is good with Spanish and they felt like this other Elder needed someone who could push him to learn the last few days, so they switched my companion to him and I have his other companion. I am now companions with Elder Morrill! Super friendly guy! I'm looking forward to the switch a lot!

Elder Harding was great and he helped me learn a lot, but recently I have been feeling really upstaged by Elder Harding, and it was getting depressing. Elder Morrill and I are at about the same level. We officially switched yesterday and I loved it! We taught together, and I realized that I was really dependent on Elder Harding because he did talk a lot. I talk too but I didn't realize how much of it was Elder Harding. I love what Elder Morrill is able to teach me. I feel that yesterday was the most I have talked and asked questions in Spanish. I could see the difference of the switch. I'm not sure why it was such a big difference. I think I got some more confidence back in the language and it feels amazing when I apply it. I had to switch rooms too, and I love the Latinos in our new room! They talk all the time and it helps me a lot to be able to talk with them in Spanish!

As far as the rest of the week we went proselyting again. It was fun! I remember being so full of the spirit when I left and just ready to baptize everyone,. and then on the ride to the spot the reality of it hit me. It gets nerve wracking to proselyte. But it was fun. We gave out 2 Book of Mormons, some folletos, and a tarjeta! We did better than the last time. There was a guy that I walked up to and said, we have a book for you. He said, "No, not today. I'm doing very bad. Very bad." In my mind I thought, wow this is perfect, he needs the gospel! And my companion asked why he was doing bad? He said something about his spouse. I just knew we had to talk to him. My companion started to walk away and I did too. The man was a pretty big man and he did not look happy. but I couldn't let it go. I took about three steps and then turned around. I went back up to him and said, "We have a message about Jesus Christ for you, its a very happy message, do you have some time?" And he said, "No, no time." At this point he looked still mad and my companion was pulling me away from him. Nothing else happened with that guy, and I realize there's better things I could have said, but I can't forget that feeling I felt. I wanted this man to hear the gospel so bad. If anything this can be motivation for me to be more persistent, and also to learn Spanish better.

While prosiliting, a lot of people said that they were Catholic. One man pretended to go to his house. When I saw this, I told Elder Harding, ´five bucks thats not even his house´.  We kept on walking and I turned around and he was walking on the sidewalk again! It made me laugh so hard. Pretty funny. I wonder what people think we do? There was another lady that didn't see us until we were about 20 feet away from her. She started to panic and started to run inside. Her dogs weren't coming to her so she grabbed them by their tails and dragged them in the house! That one cracked me up too! Haha

That was about it for the week.

Love you all!

Elder Wolf

April 7, 2016

I noticed yesterday that my language is really choppy when I'm trying to explain something, but then when I'm bearing testimony it flows better. I know that that is the power of the spirit!

Ok, so I have gotten into a sort of a routine. Every breakfast I eat fruit loops with yogurt, but it's yogurt in a carton! Just like Dad's mission! Its the drinkable yogurt and its so good! Haha I did have a dream about getting breakfast and then them running out of it. I was kinda bummed! Haha So I can relate to that, Dad!

I did get to watch conference! This was probably the first time I have watched conference all the way through, and taken notes on all sessions, and it was so amazing! I noticed they really talked about families a lot. I really liked Elder Holland's closing talk. We actually watch a lot of devotionals from him here. I don't know why its mainly him, but it's probably because he's straight forward and pretty bold when he talks. I really liked that his talk was about tomorrow. I liked how he said don't give up if your day-to-day life isn't as spiritual as conference. I also liked how he said Heaven is cheering you on Today, Tomorrow, and Forever. I really enjoyed Gerrit W. Gongs talk too about remembering the savior.

I'm sorry about the pictures. I'm taking pictures, but we are not supposed to send any more while we are at the MTC. They were having problems with the internet or something. Its hard for me because I could send it in two seconds, but obedience is key.

This week I gave my first priesthood blessing, and I also learned the power of what we say and think.

Other than that, today is P-day but no temple today because its closed, kind of a bummer, but it was good to go the 3 times that we got to! Such a beautiful temple.

Elder Wolf

March 31, 2016

This week was kind of a roller coaster! That's what I kept calling it. It was a really good week though.

To start on last Saturday we went proselyting! We thought that they were going to tell us more about proselyting but they didn't really. Haha It was making us all nervous, but as soon as we got out there there was just a calming spirit.

We got our areas and our area was pretty much purely houses. They warned us about the siesta which was about 1:30 to 4:30. We were told not to knock doors (or clap at gates, is what I should say, because that's what they do here)  during that time.

    My companion and I just started walking, and it was really strange. We didn't know what to do. We were trying to think of a conversation starter or something, and then this lady was crossing the street and we just said, "Hola." We had been saying hola to everybody we saw but they were just brushing us off. So we said hi to this onder lady and she stopped for a second so we introduced ourselves and explained who we were. She was nice to us but it was so hard to understand her. We heard "dios" and "jesu cristo: and we got so excited because they were words that we recognized and so we told her what we believed in. We reached for our bags and the she said ¨no literature!´ so we just gave her a card. Haha

After her we saw a guy on a bike and said hola! He actually crossed the street to talk to us which was really awesome! It was also hard to speak with him but we explained who we were and told him that our Spanish was bad, and he understood. We started to talk to this guy more and we were telling him what we believed in and he seemed interested! He asked us who is Joseph Smith and we both lit up because we know that kind of Spanish vocabulary! We gave him a folleto (pamphlet) of Joseph Smith. And began to talk to him! We told him about Joseph Smith, and I got to recite the 1st vision to him in Spanish! I definitely felt the spirit and knew that he felt it too. We got his address and his name. He will probably be visited by some missionaries in the area.

We got stopped by the police! They wanted to see identification! We were told not to take that stuff with us so we didn't know what to do! We got nervous and all of a sudden couldn't even say the simple phrases in Spanish haha. They wanted to check our bags so we showed them. We got out our dictionaries and that's when they realized it wasn't worth their time I guess...It cracked me up!

Being out there was alright! We had a blast talking to people but our area wasn't that busy. When we weren't talking to people it seemed to drag on. The older ladies seemed to talk to us more and some of the middle aged men, but all the teenagers and middle aged or younger women wanted nothing to do with us. That's just the reality of missionary work, but we will try harder next time! I love the culture, we got offered soda and food by an older lady who was catholic! She said she wasn't switching religions, but she was so nice!

Other than proselyting, the week has been really good! We had Easter, and they gave us chocolate eggs! We had a really awesome sacrament meeting. We combined with the Latinos and they gave some talks about Jesus. We had a translator so we got to hear everything they said! There were four musical numbers and they were so good! We got to sing our song in the fireside. Our song was The Army of Heleman and Sisters in Zion medley. 

I opened my Easter package and absolutely loved it!!! We found out that the little plastic bunnies that were in there can stick to the ceiling really well! Every one got a kick out of that and I shared some of the chocolates and suckers with the Elders.

The language is going well but it's getting more difficult at the same time! The North American elders got together and made some new goals! We started to speak Spanish from breakfast to lunch and we hope to get to the point of doing it for a whole day. The other 6 elders here have become my family. I laugh with them, cry with them, and it's so nice to have them here with me.

Today we got to go through a session in the temple! It will be the last one because the temple is closing for renovations.

March 24, 2016

I love you all, and yeah we came earlier this p-day to write but its hard to get everything in. haha This week has seemed like it flew by. It just makes me realize that I need to be working twice as hard! The temple was amazing! And it was in Spanish! We had cards to read there. P-day is good but at the same time it almost seems too relaxed for the schedule we have been on. This week has mainly been just getting into the schedule and learning how to teach.

We had these one-time investigators here, that are really members. And we were prepared for one type of situation and it was a totally different type of situation and so we were panicking but once we got in there we could feel the spirit and where we needed to go in the lesson and I think that that was the first time that I recognized the gift of tongues because I wasn't worried about the lesson, but I was just trying to express myself. I did not speak clearly at all, but I felt a clarity in my head that I don't normally have. I'm usually freaked out and anxious. This week we also went to a hotel by the temple here and our teacher just told us to start talking to people. It was probably the scariest thing ... I felt so nervous but it went well. I'm grateful for Elder Harding because he helps me a lot with Spanish. We talked to an older lady and she was hard to understand. After she gave us sandwiches though! Haha Then we talked to a middle aged couple who both served missions. Then a group of teens. Now we have fake investigators every day. 

Yesterday we had to go and sign our visas and make it official so we rode a bus into the town and it was so amazing seeing the city! We are on the outskirts of the city and the city was so busy! Lots of run down buildings but also very gorgeous roads! We saw some cathedrals but we were just in the one passport building and that was it. So many trees here. The drivers are crazy! Everybody drives an inch away from each other! Haha. But I think Salta will be a lot different.

I am the senior companion but sometimes I just ask what I'm supposed to learn from this because I don't feel like it. Haha my companion is pretty good with Spanish and putting sentences together, and I'm grateful for it.

Just a lot of Spanish study. I memorized the first vision in Spanish, and I got to use it yesterday on one of our investigators here at the MTC. I definitely felt the spirit more because I was able to recite it rather than reading it from the pamphlet. They want us to memorize a lot which I am not too good at but it is good and I feel like when I do work for it I am blessed to be able to memorize it.

I;m still getting along really well with everyone here. I love all the North American elders, and I love all the Latinos. I had a conversation with one guy the other day. He just asked about mi familia and stuff like that. I was super happy that I could communicate at least a little bit. They still kick my butt in soccer and they probably always will, but I'm getting a little better... haha

Have a great week!

Elder Wolf

March 17, 2016

Its so amazing here!!!!

The flight was horrible though! Hahaha it was overnight and it was 10 hours. I only got about 2 hours of sleep. But we got here and then we got into our rooms and got a companion. My companion is Elder Harding from LA. He's pretty cool, but of course we have some differences. (expected) haha.

I am currently so sore from playing soccer, and it is so humid here!! I love the weather though! I love it! I just get super sweaty super quick... bleh... Other than physical activity, we have just been trying to learn the language!  I know it's only the first week, and I feel like I am learning the language but it's getting frustrating. Three days in we were already expected to have a lesson with a fake investigator. En ESPANOL! And we have had the investigator every day of the week. It's just frustrating because I know what I want to say but we just can't express ourselves yet. The president here is pretty awesome.

There are about 20 girls, and 7 guys with the group that I flew down with. We are the first North American group to come to the Argentina MTC and then stay in Argentina! Kinda crazy! So a language rep. from the church was here for a few days to teach us a new type of language learning and curriculum. 

Today we get to go to the temple and I am so excited to see what it looks like!. The MTC is on the temple grounds! I didn't know that but it is! 

The MTC is really small and its pretty much the new natives (about 30 people) and then us (about 30) and then 5 people who have been here for three weeks now. We have only been in the MTC not anywhere else yet.  But that's pretty much it! It all seems like a blur and the days are just meshing together. All the North American guys are bonded pretty well. but we need to focus some more. All the Latinos and everyone are so loving. I just love that even though there is a language barrier we still have a love for one another. It's this gospel that does that for us, and its an amazing thing.

One of the days there was a stray dog and I couldn't help but to pet it, and it was a smaller one and really nice, but then the mission president's wife told me I probably shouldn't. I just cant help it...

I have learned Moroni 10:5 in Spanish. I have learned how to bear my testimony, and how to pray. Everything else is just new vocab and simple phrases. The most common words out of the North Americans mouths are, "Como se dice?"  Haha but that's a good thing.

The food is really good here. Meat with every meal!! And there have been a couple dishes with rice in them!

Since being here I have not had any problem with the living circumstances. I take one shower a day (suprise) haha but it's perfectly fine with me. They actually keep the MTC really spotless. We all have jobs to do to keep it that way!

I love and miss all of you so much! I miss laughing with you guys and just being with my family. I am happy to be here and I love it here but that doesn't mean that I don't miss you guys.

I love mi familia,

Elder Wolf

Welcome!  This blog is for Jacob Edward Wolf's mission to Argentina.  Elder Wolf departed on March 9, 2016.