Good thing the future comes one day at a time.

My Dearest Family:

Hello I love you all so much.  I loved the letters so much.  Like the emails I mean.  What a family I have!!  While I do think about you all sometimes, I never think about the details of your lives.  So I loved the gardening, and fasting and testimony prayer.  And the best part was Wilson and his cute little head on the Book of Mormon.  I read that part twice.  I love you family.  I can´t wait to see you again!

And we are officially in our final year.  Yes, Thursday was quite the day, unforgettable.  I’ll tell you later, like later in this letter, not I’ll tell you next week, that’s Braden´s classic line.  Wouldn´t want to steal that one.

Really, today for some reason wasn’t the best.  And I’ve just been waiting for this, knowing it would fill me with life.  And it already has.  And now remembering my amazing week and putting it on virtual paper will help.

But first, you finally got all my memory.  WOW.  So such a relief.  That’s sweet, Vicky met Wetzel.  Yeah, that picture of Rachel was taken down when Moon showed up (obviously), that’s old news.  The new news is Macall!  Hahahajajaja just kidding, but she just barely graduated high school, so she’ll be a freshman at Hawaii.  O and boys, great to hear you’re all practicing again.  Keep practicing!  I certainly did this week!

Wow, finally, you got my memory, I can’t stop thinking about that.  And I found out today that Elder Arrua is training!  He’s in Chimbas.  That’s so sweet!

I think this week should be called ‘The Last Effort.’  Because every single day, at 8:30 PM, we thought, should we go back 15 minutes early, or keep working?  And Every Single Day, something amazing happened from 8:30 to 9.  One day, I proposed that we finish the day by knocking/clapping a street.  ‘This one up strait, or that one, to the left’ I ask my companion, Elder Moon.  We both got the biggest impression form the spirit to turn left, and voiced it at the same time.  And the 4th door we knocked we entered.  And we found ourselves sitting on a Miracle.  It was Divine Intervention that we knocked that door, because one of His Daughters needed help.

We had an amazing first lesson with Yesica (seria Jesica).  And then the next day we went by with la Hermana Alaniz and had an even better lesson.  Yesica is so receptive to the Spirit, and by the end was crying.  She has had so much pain in her life.  It was no lesson out of preach my gospel that we taught.  It was directly from the spirit.  We taught to her needs.  A heavenly moment in Justo.  The obstáculo is that every fin de semana she leaves to visitar her parents who live in the campo.  But we have almost had daily contact with her since Tuesday.

I echo what Amanda has said.  That I am not training, but in fact, am being trained.  My Son, Elder Moon, has filled me with faith, hope, and ánimo.  Y una mas el deseo para Bautizar (and a desire to baptize more).  My Son is Making Me Great.

On my true birthday, Thursday, during comp study, we had the idea to go make banana bread with one of our potential investigators even though neither of us has ever made banana bread before, the idea just sounded golden, so we threw the ingredients in my bag and off we went.  Well, the woman wasn´t home.  So we just went around preaching the Gospel, with ingredients to banana bread in the bag.  And I offered alot of people if they wanted to make banana bread that morning.  And lots of denials.  It’s all about trying new and different things, but me di cuenta that it’s a little strange to walk around with a shirt and tie, especially in Justo, offering everyone to make banana bread for them.

Anyway, that was fun, and then after we went to the carnicería and bought some meat!  1500 grams.  And I made an asado for my son.  He didn´t believe me that just some coals would cook that meat, but we ended up eating the BEST ASADO.  And what’s more, it was my 1 year mark.  It was so sweet.  It’s strange to think that my mission is one half of the way over.  One year lived and gone.  I still have so much to do.  And so much to learn.  But whats more, so much more to Become.  I want to be so much better.  I want to Improve and be the Best I can be.  And I got one year to do it.  It’s exciting to think about what lies ahead.  Good thing the future comes one day at a time.

So after the asado celebration, we started planificación semanal.  I set a personal mission record as it lasted 6 hours.  It was AMAZING!  We talked about everything, and it was in those 6 hours that I really got to know Elder Moon.  He is INCREDIBLE.  We talked about Doctrine.  We talked about Baptism.  We talked about the Temple, but in a very sacred manner, and I felt the Spirit So Strongly.  We talked about the fac similie numero dos, and it was so cool.  And of course we talked about Justo, and what in the world we can do to get this place moving.  And one of the first steps is to get Branch counsel happening.  So we did that, we have a meeting scheduled for jueves.  And I don´t know, it was just an incredible time where we read the scriptures together, and talked, and decided to be Exactly Obedient.  It is possible.  The stripling warriors did it.  And were Blessed.  We also talked about Dominion.  We also read form the king follet discourse, from Joseph Smith.  WOW.  They just don´t talk about that stuff anymore.  My knowledge about and relationship with God strengthened so much.  He is an Exalted Man.  Enough on that.

Before I forget, please send me Bednars talk on working with the less and menos activos.  It’s recent. 

I love a scripture in Alma 62:45.  It talks about how they Convinced the Lamanites and Baptized them.  I think.  I read it last nite and wrote it down.  But I really love it.  They preached the word of God with POWER.

And I have realized that a missionary becomes great by studying.  It is what you do during the no proselyting hours that count.  And this week I studied every loose minute I had.  I devoured that Book of Mormon in Spanish.  And practiced the piano.  So Wilson, when you’re reading, think of me, because I’m reading that great book too.  I love the Book of Mormon and know that it is True.

So this other nite, before turning in, I decided to go a certain way and knock some doors.  Well, we knocked on this one and a young 14 year old kid answered, and he was nice enough.  He was there alone, and it didn’t even enter my mind to enter.  So for 6 or 7 minutes, we taught him on his porch about the Book of Mormon.  And he totally accepted it, it was sweet.  Then on the way home, we heard some heavy metal, and I just had to investigate.  Justo’s a pretty quiet place you know, so stuff like that is cool.  Anyway, we waited outside this garage type thing until the metal stopped, then I called out the pibbes inside, hoping to talk to them a minute about their music (it really wasn’t that good, metal and screaming, you know the type) but when the first one saw us, he said, O los Mormones, Tomatela’ and thew his hands up.  Then leaned in to that guitar.  So now that’s a good inside joke we have.  It was so funny.  Tomatela is very disrespectful and is kind of like Eat That, or Get Lost.  One of those things you had to be there, but it was so funny.

I think Saturday night it really hit Elder Moon, and he was tired and a little homesick.  And has started walking slower, because I guess I just Run everywhere.  But again, it was a last effort that paid off, and we had a great lesson with Ernesto, the guy we once taught with the lambs next to us.  Anyway, he is so missing so many screws and it was a memorable lesson.  Blanca blanca blanca blanca luz!  He said that about 20 times.  Such an animated guy.  We taught him the Restauración, and he actually understood a part or two.  So at the end we got on our knees, and I helped him through a prayer.  He really did ask if Jose Smith fue un profeta.  But his position was so funny, kneeling, hands reached up to the heavens and all.  My comp and I laughed about that lesson for a long time.

Yeah dad, I was thinking about reading my first journal entries to know a little better how to help my comp.  But he’s doing a lot better than me!  That’s for sure.  The real struggle is Spanish.  While it has improved SO MUCH this past week, he still really struggles, and then just kinda ignores it.  So that I need to help him on.  But really, just such a cappo!

And on the tema of casteshano, wow, I realize that I understand just about everything now.  Just about.  And I can, at times, talk really well.  I’m working on my accento a lot.  La lectura en el libro de mormon, that’s what LDM means Amy, bytheway, me ayuda un montonaso!  It’s amazing and such a gift from God, as you say mom, the Spanish that I have been GIVEN from God, mi padre celestial.

And no, Amanda shouldn´t marry Elder Wetzel.  Opposites attract, but not that opposite:).

A funny part this week was when we went to visit Carlos.  You see he has this prized chanco jabali (like a wild bore) and we were almost to his house, and we saw 4 pibes riding away through the sand, on there bikes with a dead chanco jabali over the handlebars of one of their bikes!  My heart sunk.  I thought they had killed and stolen his prized pig.  Stuff like that happens a lot to him.  So we hunted.  We turned into missionary detectives as we followed the bike tire tracks through the sand, but eventually gave up as everybody in Justo rides a bike, so we lost the track.  Bryce could a done it.  Good on ya mate!  Tell him I love him.

Anyway they didn’t kill his pig, but hunted their own.  And we found that out Saturday night when, by a miracle of God, we found Carlos.  If we would have arrived 8 seconds later, he would have been gone.  But he said he was coming to church, si Dios quiere.

Also Mirta, a long time investigator we picked up again, told us that.  But it wasn`t that easy.  Because our 2nd lección with her this week she started out by telling us she had made her final decision not to bautizarse this week.  Wow, that was like a brick in the head, as we have really been focusing on her.  Well, the Spirit of the Lord was with us and we saved the lección.  She has a testimony and reads the Book of Mormon.  She’s just not willing to live a true principle, as she didn’t come to church.  Neither did Carlos.  Neither did any of the 3 miembors menos activos we had committed.  Neither did any of the other 4 investigators that might have come.  Like Yesica.

But odd enough, as I played that piano during church, and especially during the sacrament himno, I felt peace.  Absolute PEACE.  I was so focused in Jesus Christ it was insane.  I am filled with so much love for HIM.  I bear testimony of Him, that He Lives, that He Came, and that He will come again.  I know that Jesus Christ lives.

Sunday for lunch we went to President Jose´s house and ate, you’ll never guess ..

Armadillo.

It was so sweet.  He had hunted and killed it on his farm in Cordoba the night before.  It was so sweet!  Not like sugar, but I mean it was sweet.  It tasted EXACTLY like turkey.  And they don’t have turkey here.  So that was cool.  And I ate some of the skin.  It was cool.  I devoured that peludo.  Then we ate chorizo.  Isn’t that some good stuff Casey?  We’re going to have to open a kiosco that sells bread, chorizo, asado, facturas, and alfajores.  You can name it.  A good one here in Justo is Juan y Juan.  We could call it that.

So after finally making banana bread during the siesta with Elder Moon, we went out and had another last effort miracle.  After some rejection, I realized something needed to change.  I needed to start doing something different.  The somos misioneros deal wasn´t working, at all.  So the next couple I saw I mixed it up.  I went up to them and was so happy and started talking about how I was a foreigner but how I LOVE the Argentine Asado.  It took some work, but I won their trust.  And then invited myself to walk to their home and pasar por dos minutos.  Sounding familiar??  Think Jorge and Rita.  They accepted, but very tentatively..  So we get in their house and the woman Norma looks at me and says,  ‘dos minutos.’  I’m cool with that and we start.  What followed was not a 2 but a fifteen minute lesson.  And it was good with overstaying our welcome, because Norma was the one wanting to know more, and asking the most sincerest of questions.  That lesson was amazing as we introduced the Book of Mormon to them, I shared Dads favorite scripture, and the spirit was so strong.  I bore testimony of that sacred Book and they knew it.  I knew they knew it.  I’m excited to continue visiting with Norma.  And also with Yesica.  And this other super super cool RECEPTIVE old man named Moises.  Hmmm you can probably guess we talked about prophets that lesson.  Jajaja.

So yes Wilson, we are finding people to teach.  Norma is ready.  Tenative, but SO ready.  And Yesica, she will really have to show her faith, but So READY.  And Moises, willing and ready.  Mirta, ready,  she will be baptized someday.  It’s now her choice.  And Carlos.  That man just is working so much.  I have not given up hope.  I love you Carlos.

Thank you for praying and fasting for me Wilson.  I love you so much and wish I could wrestle with you so bad.

All I can say is I hope we have a Jorge y Rita repeat with Norma.  And what’s funny is that with Elder Molen, we tried to get in that house but didn’t.

I love you all so much.  Enjoy this long letter.  Enjoy those pictures.  Have you watched Carlso kill the pig?  That’s the best best best one.

I will have a great week.  We really focus on our daily goals.  And study time is precious.  Wilson, your great.

Love Elder Ostler

I was so bold!

Buenas Tardes

Can you believe that this week there were 2 different circuses in Justo?  One was from Mexico, and I thought of Braden and Jase, just owning that land.

My companion is Elder Moon, from Draper Utah.  He’s a Greengo.  Just like me.

But before I forget, tell Elder Reynolds HI!!!!!!!!!!! You are my role model number 1 in my mission, and I still talk about you all the time.  Your name will live on in Mendoza, as long as I’m here!  Hey, I’m training, in Justo Daract!!  Small world, no pun intended.  People still remember and love you, and hugo barrozo sends saludos.  I love you Elder Reynolds.

The best lama picture ever.  The Elder Ostler/llama stare down.

Last night we had the coolest lesson.  We both were left without much animo (energy) to work after church (the 3rd hour was pretty bad) seeing as no one came, we were pretty disappointed, or at least I was.  So we studied the siesta, and read a great scripture in Alma 23:3 that says in part podrin salir a predicar la palabra Segun Su Deseo.  I have been praying for more ganas to work harder here in Justo.  After reading that scripture, I knew that right then, we needed to salir a predicar la palabra, so we put some good plans down and had an amazing experience.

On divisions in Justo 10 months ago, I met this guy, and we were in the area, in barrio norte, so I decided to give him a try.  At first, he was totally not interested and busy, but after convincing him to let us in, we were set.  We sat in his 2 chairs and he stood.  His name is Ricardo Martinez and I first took him to be a classic Daracian, clueless.  But much to my surprise, after my son wonderfully explained baptism, he gave the classic, I’m already baptized response.  So I pulled out the picture of Christ’s baptism and then he said, that’s not how Christ was baptized.  He was baptized with echando un pocito de agua sobre la cabeza.  So I pulled out my Reina Valera, that’s the Spanish bible, and I asked him to grab his, and we read together in Matthew 3 about Christ’s baptism.  It was a wonderful experience.  And I think in part, he understood.  Then I invited him to be baptized sugun la manera que fue bautizado Jesucristo.  But he still held on to his traditional católico bautismo.

And then I did something I never did before.  I said, “In the Name of Jesus Christ, I say unto you that your baptism didn´t count.”  The spirit was so strong.  I felt so much power, which I know was given to me because de mi obediencia y deseo.  He felt that what we were teaching him was true.  And he didn´t deny it.  He said to let him think it over, and come back later.  I asked if the next time we could come by if we could help him juntar o cortar la lena.  He was surprised we wanted to help.  So Ricardo showed us around back and all the stuff he had and was doing.  Now there’s a man who wanted nothing to do with us 15 minutes before, showing us around his small, humble home and al fondo de su casa.  He let the Spirit in his heart and the Spirit let us in that house.  I have a grand desire to baptize this man with the debida autoridad de Dios.  We are going by tomorrow.  He loves us and I love him.

I was so bold like that because it is something Gene R Cook taught us to do in the MTC.  And I remembered it.

Elder Moon is so Great.  I traveled to pick him up Wednesday morning.  Us 12ish trainers waited around for awhile before they all walked in, and when Elder Moon walked in, I KNEW I would be training him.  No voices, no doubts, I just knew.  And sure enough, when President Lindahl called me up, he announced I would be training Elder Moon.  Pretty sweet huh.

Right after it was announced that we would be comps on Wednesday

He is So Fresh out of the MTC, so many new ideas, so much unsmothered Faith, which I am working with and playing off of.  He has some Great Ideas.  I want to give him the opportunity to teach, a lot.  So every lesson, a couple times, I turn to him and HE GOES:  he just talks and teaches and struggles with the spanish, but it is so great.  His pure testimony triumphs over his bad spanish.  I love being with him and we will work miracles in Justo.

O Justo.

Also, all the fresh info from the States!  It’s so fun talking with him.  Here we go, I got his family memorized.  Eight brothers and sisters.  Laralyn, Bethany, him, Macall (hey Saydi, I guess she’s going to BYUH too, Sweet) then Bryce, Shane, Miranda, and Molly.  All of their kids are the same ages, almost exactly, as our family.  It’s just that they have one extra older sister, and Benson and Wilson would be chicas.  hahahajajaja.

Pineapple with my companion, Elder Moon.  So Sweet!  I know how to pick 'em.

I saw Elder Arrua in the terminal and talked it up with him about the great land of Rivadavia.  And my Joy is Full.  All of my converts, really they are the Lord’s converts, the Lord gives the increase, but all of them are doing good and going to church!!!!  Alma 23:6 those who were CONVERTED unto the Lord, Never Did Fall Away.  So sweet.  That is such a Sweet Taste in my mouth.  But I do know now that Jorge and Rita are asisting about semana por medio and rita is internado in the hospital, sick sick sick with their 3rd child, so kinda bitter sweet there.  But Elder Arrua showed me a foto of him in the chapel with Jorge and Rita and the 2 munchkins and Jorge was in a white shirt and tie!!  Wow, o what alegría.

So remember the sketch I was in?  That happened this week. . .  and it was AMAZING!  It was so so good, so funny, it was for people of all ages, because even the adults loved it.  What a blessing from God that I was able to do that, with so much help from the zone and especially Elder Esplin, Elder Austin, Elder Galdo and Elder Yasan.  It just went great.  Definitely a last minute thing.  But afterwards we went on surprise divisions for an hour with the zls and on the bus ride home, we had to take a different one, the blanca paloma, we had to stand and it was so so tiny and small.  And the ceiling was pretty short.  It was fun practicing being 5’ 10” again.

Wow, the Wards moved, tell them I love them!!  Go Brother Ward!!

And while I was standing up on the dark bus ride back to my Nest, I had a good think session.  And this is what I came up with.  I was appalled to read from Miss Saydi that there was Dust On the Keys, with regards to the piano.  The dust should be in the Wind.  Right Dad?  So here’s what we’re going to do.  I’m not sure if you’re practicing or not right now, but no importa.  I urge you all of you boys to PRACTIAR EL PIANO.  So importante.  So here’s the paino desafio.  6/7 days a week.  2 weeks.  You put the time per day necessary.  Harrisions should be a solid 45 minutes, brother I know you’re super busy, just do it, right Ben?  So if you can cumplir with that, here’s what we will do.  Harrison gets a dinner to Red Robin with his date and whoever else is on the date paid for by Mom, that is, of course, after a spectacular date themed after the grand color rojo, or red.  Red rope, red rover, Big Red gum, you got to do a Dr. Seuss book activity so you can say you Red some books, and some other great things you can think of.  Make sure they’re read, or Red.

Jefferson gets a day or 2 at the farm with Grandpa Skinner!!  Might not seem like much, Jefferson, but just go.  I wish so much I would have spent more time with that amazing man!  I love you Grandpa and got your letters this week!!  To answer your questions, the total population of Justo is said to be about 10,000 people.  Although to me, it’s about 900.  No idea what kind of fish we shot, no idea if it’s legal.  Pretty much there’s no rules here in Argentina, so yeah, it was legal.  I also think j walking is encouraged.  And I loved your question regarding waking up at 6:30 as a trail of faith.  That certainly helped my get up at 6:30 this morning.  I thought of you.  Yes it is a trial of faith, especially P day.  Do we really understand that the Lord will bless us if we get up at 6:30?  I think that we don’t.  I like looking at it like this.  This is the only time in my life where the LORD will bless me if I wakeup on time.  I love you grandpa, stay strong.  I’ll see you in the Temple someday.

And Wood, felicitaciónes on your Eagle.  Now, prepare for the Missino, the best thing you will ever do.  EVER.  It’s so hard, and so fun.

Like today for p day we played fútbol and then Elder Morinico taught me how to make pizzas and we made for the whole zone.  We’re talking homemade.  They were so good and so cheap!  It was so fun.

Ok, so Benson, for your premio, you could go mini golfing with dad and some friends, sweet!  And Wilson, how about a day with the friends spent outside doing some sweet activities.  Bottom line, I really hope you all are practicing your piano.  Ok Saydi, you want something too.  Hmmmm.  Nope, got nothing.

Sorry about calling American spaghetti crappy last week.  I really craved some good PREGO this week.  Uhg.  And yes, mail was received - lettes and 2 packages.  One from the Grandparents Skinner with 2 huge M&Ms packages!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Wow, absolutely incredible.

People are astonished with us, as missionaries from this, the True Church.  Just like in the Book of Mormon, like in Alma 18:2 how the king was astonished exceedingly by Ammon.  The slayer.  During Elder Moon’s first panadería experience, I started talking to the lady about word of wisdom.  After she found out who we are and what we do, and for how long, she was too exceedingly astonished, it was pretty cool.  And then to top it off, she threw in a free semita!  Maybe valued 4ish pesos, just a bread thing with pieces of meat in it.  So good.

And so looking back at Ricardo, he was just so impressed with us.  A complete change Alma 22:3, Lamoni’s father.

In church this week we had the Full Flock.  No investigators, no inactives.  Uhg.  Uhg again.

We contacted Carlos, which is becoming harder to do, and had a great lesson.  He told us, upon my asking, that on Tuesday, he stooped smoking and that he had already threw out the whisky.  He is really repenting and becoming converted unto the Lord!  That was one of my favorite parts of the week, hearing that.  That he kicked the addictions and is even avoiding even the very appearance of evil ..  but he just can’t make it to church.  He is so busy and needs a lesson about putting the Lord first.  C’mon Carlos, I know you can do this.  But after the lesson, Moon had a good experience as we did the rounds with Carlos and fed the pigs.

And of all the people we had committed to come to church, nope.  No one.  Disappointing, but we will continue moving forward.  With faith, and with a big ol smile.

Sunday morning photo shoot

Yes Mom, Carolina Ponce from the other area came to church for a 3rd time, and the elders blessed her home.  Sweet success.

Well family, it has been good.

I love you,

Elder Ostler

Latin: Denied!

Hello all.

I am at the same cyber that I was at with Cabranes when I sent my first batch of 15 pictures home.  Just an fyi.  You were probably wondering.

I loved the Casey comment.  I do think about that kid a lot, us both being in Argentina.  O what I would give to be his comp!!!  If that happened, chau, game over.  I love you Casey and pray for you;)

Memory cards/cd/pen driver:  Sent

New memory card: comprado

Elder Wetzel has it all, secretly secured with duct tape in his backpack.  It should arrive Wednesday evening at 9:06, when his plane touches down in Idaho Falls.  And uhhgg, I wrote down all his mothers info, but left it in Justo!!  I did write your stuff on the outside of the package.  So try to contact her, or wait for a call from her, or just wait it out till next week.

Harrison, so great to hear about a couple of your dating adventures.  Planning is the key, and a good looking date helps.  Bet you can’t beat the record Casey Hare and I set: 7 straight weekends of dates in a row!  Bring it on.  No way you can pull that down.  No one beats the Casey/Jackson duo.  The Argentines.

Saydi, good on you for studying Spanish.  I love it.  I need to do that too!

I love you Amanda. . . .  and the rest.

Dad, are you really losing it up top?  And Mom!  You’re only 47!  Who would’ve known.

So you’re probably waiting to hear what I know about transfers.  But let’s just wait it out.  First some experiences from the week.

I was on divisions . .  ALL WEEK.  I arrived in Villa Mercedes Sunday night and didn't leave till Friday night.  I worked with 4 elders in the 4 different areas in this Huge zone.  And lived in all the penches.  But only 1 day of divisións was originally planned, so it was fun living off the 1 pair of socks and etc.  That’s life in the mission, and especially being a missionary in Justo.  You just never know where you’re sleeping next, who you’re working with, or where you’re eating, if you do!  It’s fun.  Keeping it real.  I did divisions with the zone leaders and the other 2 companionships in the district.  And Wetzel worked it out there in Justo for the week.  It was great, and we saw miracles.

The first is a real cool story, but way hard to tell.  Hindsight is 2020, and looking back, I can see that the Lord has been preparing this first one since Elder Cabranes and I found the new with the bloody half chopped off finger, if you remember that story.  Well, we were in the area and had 30 minutes to buscar nuevos, so I remembered where he lived and we went to knock the door.  But he wasn't there.  Which put us standing right in front of the mono blocks (a Big apt complex, but nothing like the states).  So the spirit decided which one to start knocking.  (Yes we knock doors often, not a ton, but bastante.  So Grandpa, don´t worry, we do knock doors.  Just referring back to my hatred towards knocking puertas months back.  And it is just the sweetest feeling when the person says, si, pasen!) Anyway, the second door we knocked let us in.  And they were inactives.  The elders had felt inspired to look for one of them earlier that week, carolina, but had no suerte finding her in her work.  But an employee fb her and told her the Mormons had came looking for her.  So . . she came to church that Sunday!  What faith.  But the elders, 2 days before that Sunday, didn´t really talk with her a lot and still had no idea where she lived.  But it just so happened that the Lord put us right in front of her mono block complex, and we knocked her door, when bloody finger guy didn't answer.  And so they let us in, and we had an amazing lesson with them.  I promised her an inspired blessing about the word of wisdom and it just went from there.  We invited her to repent and come unto Christ.  It was so cool to watch how God put that puzzle together.  It’s cool being one of His pieces.  And she came to church again this week, with her kids!  Éxito!

Also with Elder Yasan, we were hurrying to a lesson in jardin del sur, but just had to stop as we came around a corner and saw the moon.  It was an incredible sight.  A HUGE luna, hung perfectly over a green field, lined with trees, with vacas lecheras comiendo el pasto.  It was unreal!  It is just a snapshot in my mind.

With Elder Esescano I invited myself into this guys house and we had a sweet lesson about God, trials and at the end gave him a blessing for his rapidly deteriorating health.

I got pretty close to milking a cow this week.  That is definitely a missino goal.

With Elder Esplin, the zone leader, we had the best luck with la musica!  In the street we heard “Welcome to the jungle” (I had to tie my shoe as we walked past that parked car) “Sweet Child of Mine . . . .   AND . . . .  JOURNEY!!  “Don´t Stop Believing,”  and I don´t stop believing, I believe there is a prepared person in Justo . . . I believe that I CAN DO THIS.  It is possible.  I want to teach, so many people, about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  But that was such a good song, probably only heard it for 7 seconds.

Even though that miembro menos activo that came 2 weeks ago, hugo, said ‘si o si’ he was coming this week, he didn't show.  That was disheartening.  Neither did Carlos.  I don´t know why.  He is progressing, and we threw down the plabra de sabiduria, and he totally agreed.  He’s dope to stop smoking.  Don´t worry.  Folk in the campo go a little slower.  He was super committed to church and had ganas to it, but just didn't come.  I asked him a sweet question Saturday morning with Wetzel.  I say, “Carlos, what blessing have you received this week for coming to church last week, and reading the scriptures” . . . and he responded.  And told us some pretty sweet stuff that had happened to him.  Like finding more work!  And in Justo, wow, once in a blue moon.  So he is receiving the blessings for keeping the commandments.  And now just needs to continue on this path that leads toward the temple.  Lets go CARLOS, you’re my pride and my joy.  I know you can do this.  With my son, I plan on going by Thursday and taking the whisky out of his house.  That should be a fun first experience.  (Carlos doesn´t drink, it’s his friends that they drink when they come over.)

We hit an all time low at church.  4 members, 2 missinoaries.  My comp gave the first talk, and I gave the 2nd (the branch president let me know 30 minutes before hand!!).  My comp blessed the sacrament,  and I passed it.  And of course, I played the piano.  It went well.  And my comp Wetzel said about every prayer.  And now I can say I have been to relief society twice.

I say this every week, but Justo is just a different life.  I cannot even imagine life in your ward.  Hundreds of members, faithful, that come every week, whether it’s raining or not.  Unreal.

It was a good last week for Wetzel.  We got 7/7 abrir la boca!  That last day, Sunday, he so did not want to do them, so we made a deal, I did 15 and he did 5.  Done.  Wetzel died in style.  And this morning, 3:30am we put him on a bus to Mendoza.  And tomorrow he gets on a plane to the States!  Now that is truly an unreal thought: Going Home.  It must be said that being with a dier, I have thought a lot more about home.  About life in the states.  We had a good talk about cereals yesterday.  And a garbage can that gets taken weekly!  A DISHWASHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It’s been a long time since I’ve thought about one of those. But I still can’t get it through my head that a dishwasher also Dries the dishes.  No way.

We have had some intense Truco sessions this p day.  And at 11ish we played our classic partido of futbol.  Which is when the assistances decided the call to tell about Transfers!  And . . . . I’m Training.

Even though I wanted kinda to leave Justo, I didn´t get my hopes up.  And sure enough . . ‘Elder Ostler . . se queda.’  And then they told me that I’m training.  I couldn´t believe it.  That is the last thing I wanted to do in Justo.  But I have accepted the will of the Lord.  6 more weeks working Justo Daract . . with my newbie.  I can’t believe it.  Really can’t.  But I was dropped as DL, so that’s sweet.  Not that I didn´t like it. . . you know, just a little less responsibility and problems to solucionar.

So I’m training.  I travel to Mendoza Wednesday in the morning to pick up my son.  Ahhh, just a new kid, full of Faith, Fresh from the states.  He’s going to be my best friend.  I’m going to raise him well.  I’m going to be so obedient, so diligent.  And just believe the Lord will bless us with miracles in May.  And I just pray, that in June, we can baptize together.  It’s a daunting task, training in Justo, but if the Lord thinks I can do it . . so do I.

I just hope Carlos has a couple more pigs for us to kill.  Yeah . . enjoy those videos.  I’m pretty sure there are a ton of videos for you to watch.  Just a little by the way comment.  And President is a big believer of greengos training gringos, and latinos training latinos.  So chances are slim to none, pretty much just none, that I will train a latin.

It’s fun to think of my newbie, just sitting in the MTC, freaking out, because in 24, he will board a plane to Argentina, where the Lord has called him to serve a mission.

Now for some random thoughts I wrote down this week.  Working and being in Villa Mercedes in comparison to Justo Daract makes me feel like I am in NYC.  So much movement and so many people.  So many houses.  It’s great.

I want to be a better missionary.  I want to work harder and be more diligent.  I want to put off selfishness, and serve the Lord with all my heart, might, mind and strength.  I want to be better.  

I want to take the words casi, and tratar out of my vocabulario.

O . . and send marshmallows if you are looking for something to replace awful skittles in the packages.  Those would be GREAT after an asado.  When I was on division this week I cooked for all the elders, and at least elders Esplin and Yasan told my they loved it!  I made the classic Skinner hamburger and onions for Yasan and spaghetti for Esplin.  O, the members spaghetti here is So Much Better than that junk we call spaghetti in the states.  They are masters at the tuco.  I love it.  So watch out.  I’m a rising chef.

Great picture of your zone Amanda.  I loved that.  Frisbee!!!  I haven´t touched one of them in for ever.  

Wow, I guess I have kinda run out of things to say.  Let’s see, I will definitely be looking up Regina Spektor after the missino.  And I miss Owl City.

How did piano practice go this week boys?  Harrison, how well can you play the himnos?  Good mowing news too.  It’s good to hear that the grass is being cut.

We are making some good work on the skit I am in charge of.  We perform in front of a bunch of primary kids el sabado en la tarde.

News, we got a brand new calefón . .  . it is now possible to get burned while taking a shower in the Justo pench/church.

It’s getting cold, the long sleeves and sweaters have been busted out.  And the iron in the pench is probably the worst iron ever made.  It should be called a stain.  OOOO the pain.  And in the missino, the ironing board is your bed.  But if you dry your clothes right, you don’t have to iron.  But it just seems every single time I put my clothes out to dry, it rains.  Here in Justo we get about one day of rain a week.  And the whole city has just been losing power recently.  This week it happened again, and I mean everything just goes out.  But this time it was only for 5 minutes, not the 40 minute one we had a few weeks back.  But that was a sweet 40 minutes.  You could just reach up and touch those stars.  I love the southern sky.

Wellp, I love you my family.  Live like you believe, and SHARE WHAT YOU KNOW WITH YOUR FRIENDS.  That would be sweet if you would put a monthly baptism goal as a family.  jajajajajajaja.  But really, I hope you are sharing the Gospel with your friends, or just with people who look sad in the streets.  Why Not?

Tomorrow I get to eat lunch with the San Luis Stake Patriarch and the only temple sealer in San Luis.  I’ve eaten with him before, and they are a sweet old couple.

Well, it’s about time for me to get going.  

I love you family and enjoy that carpet under your feet!

Elder Ostler

Tell Ben O to be a beast!