Dear famly,

 

Wow that's great news on the scholarship!!! I'm sure that will help out a ton. I don't blame you for not trusting the argentine mail. The only thing you can ever be sure about when it comes to argentina is that nothing is ever sure. =P I don't really have too much to say either, other than that it's been another good week. We had two baptisms this weekend: an 11 year old girl named Brisa and a lady named elizabeth. Brisa picked me to baptize her. It's kinda funny that all the people I've physically baptized so far have been little kids (; Oh, and my toe is a LOT better. I can almost walk normally now. Thank goodness! Other than that, I really don't think I have anything else to say. There won't be any pictures again this week. I think my sd card has a bug or something, because the computer doesn't recognize it when I put it in. So I'll have to see what I can do about that. In don't know if you'd want to send me another card when you get the chance? Anyways, I love and miss you all very much, and I'm glad to hear that everyone's doing so well. I can't wait for my birthday package! (: Talk to you next week

The work must go on...

Family,

 

Thank you to everyone who wrote me! That means a lot. I'm sorry I still haven't hand written anything. And speaking of which, I actually have a letter waiting to send to Taylor. Grandma and grandpa as well. I just haven't been able to send them yet. I'm trying. And I don't know what happened, but I can't put pictures onto the computer anymore. The usb adaptor stopped working. I don't know when I'll be able to get another one. This week has been really good for me and elder dressler. We had a good baptism Saturday and we've seen a lot of miracles this week. The only bad thing is that it's REALLY painful to walk right now. I've been limping badly for awhile now. So last week I had an ingrown toenail. I was able to get the toenail out, and it was fine. Then it rained really hard a few days later. We got soaked and my shoes completely filled with water. I had to walk about 3km like that. So my toe got, and still is, really infected. Diego actually "operated" on it yesterday. He told me to take of my shoe, then he took my toe and squeezed all the junk out. Oh my GOSH it hurt!!! I screamed a little, I'll admit. I called the mission doctor this morning and he told me what I need to do to treat it. I'll have to take antibiotics for a week and soak my foot in soapy water twice a day. I'm serious, it's SO hard to walk. It's been a real struggle for me. I'll get through it though. About the cd, my companion actually has that same one. I think it's fine (: Again, thank you to everyone who wrote me. I'll try to get better at writing letters home. And no, I have not yet received any of your letters. Well, that's it for now, I think. Thank you for all you love and support. I love you all!

Lost in the work....

Dear family,

Wow, it's been that cold?! I wish it was cold here... although it hasn't been TOO bad recently. Or maybe I'm just used to it now. Anyways, I've been doing really good. Elder Dressler and I are getting along great, and we're working really hard. But we're always laughing at or about something, so we have a lot of fun at the same time. I think I'm finally knowing what being lost in the work means. We're going to have a baptism this week, and we're both really excited for this one. His name's David (pronounced dah-veed). Three weeks ago, he showed up in church on his own without us ever having seen him before! He told us he was trying to change his life, and we've been able to help him do it. He really is golden. The most prepared person I've met so far on my mission (not like I've been out THAT long, but still =P). My health is back to more or less normal, thank goodness. Argentina hasn't been very nice to me, except for making me really tan and a lot blonder. Oh, speaking of which, were you going to send me some more insoles? Those would be very much appreciated. And also, I don't need a rock climbing clip anymore. Elder Dressler gave me one of his extras. As far as the music goes, everything you said is good. Heck yes on the star wars and classical music! Maybe you could put that celtic christmas music and andean nation on there too? And all the ones that I made on garage band! I can't think of anything else at the moment, but it would be awesome if you could find me as many songs as you possibly can. ¡Por favor y gracias! Speaking of music, I have a new ambition for when I get home: learn the accordion! They use accordion in a lot of music here, and I've come to love the sound. Hey, isn't that what I wanted to learn when I was really little? Funny how things like that eventually come back to you. (: So I have a few requests/suggestions for you. When you send me pictures, could you just attach them as files instead of embedding them in the email? That way I'll actually be able to see them. The computer monitors here are pretty old. If you want to put captions, maybe you could just write them in the email. Also, sending me physical pictures in envelopes would be awesome! Another thing. I almost never hear from any of my siblings, so maybe you could all just use mom or dads email and write me throughout the week when you have time. I won't be able to respond to them all individually, but I would LOVE to hear from everyone personally! So, if you could do those few things, I would greatly appreciate it. (: Well, I think that's about all I got for now. I hope everyone is well and that you are all enjoying the cold weather =P I know I would be! Just be grateful you have heating in the car and in the house. Be grateful that you even have a vehicle that drives for that matter! (; Well, I just want to say that I love and miss everyone and I hope to hear from you next week! ¡Chow!

this is David (pronounced Dah-veed), one of our AWESOME investigators.

Transfers....New Companion!

Family,

Well, I guess I'll tell you the news you've all been waiting for, if you don't already know. I'm staying in Rivadavia another transfer more, but this time with a new companion!! His name's Elder Dressler, from California. He is AWESOME. We get along really well and have a lot of fun, but at the same time we work really hard. We completed 100% on our numbers, with only three days to do it all. I'm really excited to see what we'll be able to do this transfer. Oh, by the way, we did all that work with me not being able to eat anything for two days straight. I was having some really ugly stomach problems, so I called the area doctor and he told me some medicine to take, and also to eat absolutely nothing the first day, very light foods (like crackers) the second, and the third day back to normal. All I could do was drink as much liquid as I possibly could. It was HARD, but I'm better now. Mostly. It's still just as hot, humid, and air conditioning-less as ever, but I'm a lot happier now. I'm finally finding out what it means to be "lost in the work." Elder Dressler's technically the senior companion, but I've really been the senior companion because he's brand new to the area. It was super hard at first, having to know who to put in the daily plans, having to know everything about all our baptismal dates, having to know how to get around the area, how to find people, what members to go out with, things like that. But I am getting a lot better at it all. They say everyone needs to be prepared to train by march because we'll be getting a TON of new missionaries. I hope I'll be ready. Everything else has been good so far, other than the stomach problems. Oh, just an idea for sending me music: if you use mp3 cds it would be a lot easier, because you can put a lot more songs onto one cd. Well, I think that's it for now. Look forward to talking to you next week. I love you all!

This is Elder Dressler, my new companion.
Guess where he's from.... CARLSBAD!!! 

My old district

this highway is ALWAYS super busy.
This is what it looked like new year's day.

My old Zone

New Year's Eve

Look! Im drinking mate! Ha jk, this was pablo's present for me. 

Crazy Argentine Chicken

Family,

It was so awesome to get to talk to you last week!!! You haven't really changed at all; just look older. I'm sorry that I wasn't as happy or talkative as you probably hoped I'd be. I've just been having a hard time, as you know. I too hope it will get better, and soon. We have transfers this Wednesday, so we'll have to see what happens. I've been in the same area with the same companion for about 12 weeks now. That's a long time! I think it's about time for a change of scenery. Hopefully that will happen this week. Seriously though, it was so great to talk to you AND see you. Even though the Internet where I was wasn't very good. I forgot to say thank you for the Christmas presents! They completely made my day. And my week (: So how's everything been at home? Doesn't school start soon? Holy cow, Taylor GRADUATES soon! Like, REALLY soon!!! That's crazy!!! Are you ready for that, Taylor??? I can't believe it's already 2013. This will be my first and only full year in the mission field. I keep wondering how much I will grow and change and what challenges I'll have to go through. I hope I'll be able to handle it, because I feel like I haven't handled very well what I've already gone through. Can you believe I'll be turning 20 soon?? I can't. I feel so.... OLD. Yes, I have documented EVERY SINGLE DAY so far up till now. I haven't missed one day. That's the one and only thing I've done perfectly so far on my mission (; It's actually been really helpful to read back and see how far I've come. That'd be another recommendation for Taylor. Keep a journal of every single day of your mission, even if it's just once sentence that you have to write the next morning. You'll be glad you did. Also, go walking. A lot. Starting exercising would be really good too. And no, drinking coke is actually AGAINST the rules in this mission. But the food hasn't been TOO much of a problem lately. What kills me is the instant changes between boiling hot and then cold. OHHH! I forgot to mention this on skype! You know what would be an AWESOME birthday present? Music. I need music. I was thinking maybe you could go through my itunes and put all my classical, jazz, stuff I made, and any other music that you think would be mission appropriate onto bunch of Cd's and send them to me. I would like that. A lot (:  Well, I think that's about it for now. I love and miss you all. Oh, and sorry I haven't sent pics for so long. I'll do that today.

"Super-Combed"

The super market is called"Super Argenchino" HAHAHA.
This place is CRAAAZY. 

Our District

Juan Pablo, who I baptized yesterday.
Every single baptism I've had so far (except for one) has been kids!! =P 

"Have mercy! Been waitin for the bus all day...."
You have to make sure colten sees this. He'll understand (;

Looks like I beat you again this week! I really need those details for skype  (the time you want to do it and how to find you), I only have this week and the next to figure it out. Please tell me as soon as you can, thanks! (: Oh, and I got your packages last week. I'm curious to know what's in them! This week has been pretty good. Though, I have been a little sick for the past week. It's nothing bad, just allergies or a cold or something. Everything else has been fine though, for the most part.  Well, I don't really have anything new to talk about.  Talk to you next week.

Dear family,

 

Yes, they usually do kill me in futbol, but I've gotten a lot better. It's more fun when I can actually hold my own against them! I'm pretty tired today, and not feeling too well. I hope it doesn't turn into something more. But the good part about today is we had a practice for the Christmas pday program we're going to have. We're all singing Carol of the Bells, Guard Him Joseph, I'm playing my What Child Is This, doing a duet with another sister missionary, and doing a version of where are you Christmas with elder Sturgell on guitar and some other missionaries. Speaking of Christmas, I found a computer of a member to use to skype you Christmas day!!! I'll just need to know what time you'd want me to do it (remember Argentina time is 4 hours ahead) and what I'd need to type in to find you on skype. I'm pretty excited for that (: About the ipod adaptor, it quit working one day so I got rid of it. Sorry! We actually don't have a bedé in our apartment. It's pretty rare to find one in this part of town, and if they do have one they don't use it. It's a rich people thing, so they tell me. So, I haven't had the ¨luxury¨ of being able to use one yet (; Honestly, I have wayyy more than enough money. And if someone does send me money, there's a whole process to get it changed into pesos, and it's a pain. So in other words, don't send me money (: Well, other than that I really don't have anything else to say. I'm just here trying to take it day by day. It's really hard sometimes, but I'm not planning on coming home till 2014 (; I love you all!

Elder Bentz and Elder Tolaba