Week 14 (3/22/10) Email to Mom

I don't have a lot of time because I wrote to Pete. I haven't got the package yet hopefully at the transfer meeting next week. I wish I had something exciting to share with you. Its easy to focus on what is hard but Alma 26:2 made me think. I have so many blessings in my life. Can I tell? Am I acknowledging them. I have so much good in my life and I shouldn't focus on what is hard or not the way I want it to be. I am so blessed to have such a great Mom and a great Dad. You guys are pretty special to me. I was studying about patience today so its interesting to see that you mentioned patience twice. The future is bright and I am excited and happy. I look forward to the packages. I love you Mom.

Elder Woodside

Week 13 (3/15/10) Email to Dad and email to Mom

This week was a pretty tough week but Elder Sobré says next week will be better. We're having some difficulties. He's doesn't seem to committed to me. He has barely over a transfer left and its like he's coasting to the finish line and taking me along for the ride. On Wednesday I was really sick and stayed home. On Thursday we went to go help a family paint their house and it only took a couple hours but we were there for 7 hours. I can't speak very well so I don't have a lot of control. I don't want to be a nag, and I don't want to have to tell my comp that has been here almost 2 years what to do. The next day we were at the Barrios house again for like 2-3 hours and Elder Sobré had brought a movie with him and put it in to watch. It was Spirit, the cartoon about the horse. Its ridiculous. When I told him we needed to leave to get home in time, he ignored me. I told him five minutes later and he was slow to get up, we got home late. On our way home he said neither of us are sick so tomorrow and Sunday we need to work hard. I said what about today, we weren't sick, why didn't we work hard today? He said I dunno. Then the next day we went over there to get the 13 year old to go on divisions with him. So Elder Sobré went with a 13 year old kid. The rule is they have to be a responsible adult of at least 16 years. I told him that and he blew me off saying other missionaries do it. Ugh. Its frustrating. Then when we got back to their house after, the family left except the 13 year old and the 17 year old with Down's Syndrome and Elder Sobré and the 13 year old played games on the computer for an hour. I don't know what to do. Its hard. I want to do what I'm here to do. It seems like every day we're just trying to kill time. I told this to Elder Sobré a few days ago and that I feel like we aren't doing anything. I feel a bit like I'm wasting my time. I feel like we could be doing so much more. I told him I want to do what I'm here to do, I don't want to waste my time. I told him I understand that its hard to have a white boy that doesn't speak the language come in and not be able to do much, but we could be doing a lot more and I can help if he lets me. He tries to do it all himself and thats not much. We talked about things and he said we need to change some things so I hope things will change for the better. Since our chat at the start of last week things didn't improve, but last night he said they would this week. I really hope they do. I don't really know what else to do. It'll work out though. Its hard for me to stay focused on the work when we aren't really doing much work. I love what I'm here to do, I love the gospel of Jesus Christ, and I look forward to learning the language so I can be more effective and so I can do what I'm here do! Its tough right now but I know things will get better. The language is coming day by day. The ward mission leader is great-thats what Brother Lyman is in our ward. I usually do the divisions with him and he is a great guy a good companion. I'm happy to be here. I love the people and the area. At first I was skeptical but I love the pizza here, at least the cheese pizza. Each slice has a green olive on it. Its good stuff. Its hard right now but its good to maintain a good attitude. Our zone and another zone got together today and we played some different sports so that was fun. Good stress relief. It felt good to run around play some things that I'm good at, some Ultimate, some volleyball and kickball. I don't have a lot of time left. I sure love you Dad. We've had some great times and we've got a lot more to come. Don't worry about me here, I'm doing great. I love you Dad!

Love, Matt

Mom! I missed you this week. I was really sick on Wednesday. I puked like 30 times. I couldn't stand without puking. I ached really bad and couldn't sleep. It was the longest day ever! I wished you were there to take care of me. :) I'm all better now though. I think it was because of the water. I will definitely be a lot more careful about what I eat and drink. I can't believe its 3 months already either! I'm having some issues with my companion but I'll work through it. I am very determined to be a good missionary and to not waste my time here. I'm also determined to be happy and love the people here. I have been blessed with a great gift of taking challenges head on and I know it will work out for the best. I read President Monson's talk from last spring and I love what he says about the future. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith. Its tough for me now, but the future is very bright. I also like what you said to me about being teachable. That is so important for me right now. I have so much to learn and I am excited to do so but I need to always make sure I am being teachable. I look forward to the work I will be able to do when I know the area and the language better. Its coming day by day. I know that the experiences I am having now will help me to be a better missionary and trainer some day. Thanks for sending the package I am looking forward to it! Oh and I WILL speak Castellano before my second decade is over! I'm glad Spring Break was good for you guys. I'm not sure when spring break is for us...;) I'm looking forward to conference and I'm crossing my fingers that we will get to watch in English. I love you Mom and I really appreciate the support you and Dad give me. You guys are the greatest parents in the world. Anyway until next week! I love you Mom! Paz!

Love, Matt

Week 12 (3/8/10) Email to Mom

 I'm doing good here in Argentina. The city I'm in is actually Berazategui. The area/ward is El Cruce, I'm not really sure why. Berazategui has an orange soccer team so I'll look for a jersey for Sam. I have some books for Sam to read. I figure he's probably ready for some new books. These should hold him for awhile. The first series starts with The Lost Years of Merlin. The next one starts with The Book of Three. Also the Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites. And there is another series I read that is by an LDS author. The author is B.J. Rowley and the third book is called Lost Children or something like that. All good choices. I think he'll like them all. I sure miss that kid. We'll have some good times in a couple years, but that can wait.

     This week was a lot better, but it's still really hard. Its hard to understand people especially in conversations. Its hard for me to participate in a conversation of two or more other people because I talk slower than them and I really slow down the conversation and mess up the tempo. The people here also interrupt a lot so that doesn't help either. My companion isn't too helpful with this problem. My Castellano is improving though. Slowly but surely. Sometimes its hard to see myself ever knowing the language, but it will be great when I finally can. We had Noche de Hogar (FHE) with the Barrios family-we go to their house a lot, Hna Barrios is really nice and her husband used to be active but lately he hasn't been, I finally met him the day before this-the other night and we read 1 Nefi 5 with them. Elder Sobré was explaining why it was so important for them to go back to get the plates and was talking to them about scripture study and I was just sitting there. I never know what he´s planning to do beforehand so it makes it even harder for me to participate. He was talking and mid-sentence Hermano Barrios turned to me and said, 'Elder how many brothers do you have? How's your family?' I didn't know what to do, everyone stopped and looked at me. I showed two fingers and said dos hermanos. His wife shot him a look. He said 'What,the other Elder has talked the whole time, I want to hear something from him. How's your family doing Elder? Tell me about your family.' I look at Elder Sobré and he looked like a little kid that just had his balloon popped. I told him I have two brothers and that my older brother just got married today. He said oh that's great that sucks you have to miss it. He said what about your parents, tell me about your parents. I said my dad isn't a member but my mom is. My mom raised my brothers and I in the gospel. He said wow your mom must be pretty strong. What is one of her strengths? I said my mom is very patient. Its necessary with 3 sons and a husband. I shared Alma 57:21 with them and explained why I like it and explained that more than anything I want my dad to join the church and have his own testimony. I told them I love my dad and want to live with him forever and I know that that is possible. I bore my testimony to them and the spirit was strong. I looked at Hermana Barrios and she was crying. It was a good experience. It also made me feel good that someone took an interest in me and didn't just ignore me like a lot of people do when they find out I don't speak very well. He really wanted to hear from me and was understanding of my inability. I may not be able to communicate very well but I still can bear my testimony. I still know the church is true and the spirit doesn't know the difference between English and Castellano. I love bearing my testimony. I'm excited to become fluent in Castellano so I can be more effective. Its hard but I don't care that its hard. I visited Hno Jerez yesterday with Hno Arevalos. Hno Jerez is missing his right leg and cannot use his left arm. He was one of the happiest people I have met here. He can't do a lot but he reads his Book of Mormon a lot and has a great attitude. His happiness amazed me. Above his spot on his couch written in crayon was a red heart with SONRIE, DIOS TE AMA (SMILE GOD LOVES YOU) scribbled in green below it. It was lindo. Next time I go back I'm going to bring my camera and get a picture of him with his 'mural' ha. He was a great guy. Anyway I better get going. I'm getting more used to the food and things here in Argentina. You're not going to recognize me in two years! Wow I didn't realize how much I wrote. Alright well I better go. I love you Mom! Paz.

Love, Elder Woodside

Week 11 (3/1/2010) Email to the Family

¡Hola!
Everything is going well here in Argentina. The area I am in is El Cruce in the zone Quilmes. We are about an hour from the capital. I am in the state of Buenos Aires but not the city. Its crazy all of the natural disasters that are happening everywhere! Things have been hard with Elder Sobré this last week or so, but we talked about it last night so I'm hoping it will get better from here. He is a great missionary, but he hasn't been that great of a trainer. He hasn't been too helpful or understanding. But we talked about things last night so I really hope they improve. Today has been a lot better. His last transfer is the next one so I will most likely be here in El Cruce until at least June 21. The Castellano is coming along slowly but surely. It can be really hard at times. Sometimes I can understand most of what people say and sometimes it don't understand anything. I really enjoy what I am doing here and the people here are really great. I think I will enjoy what I am doing a lot more once I am comfortable with the language. This is the hardest thing I have ever done. One of the days this week was the hardest I have had yet. I wasn't physically tired, but I was really really emotionally tired. I really missed you guys that day and I felt really frustrated with the language. I felt like I would never learn the language. We were at the Silvas for lunch and a white truck pulled up-which was weird in that area-and honked. I looked out the window and my heart jumped. I half hoped that I would look through the passenger seat window and see my dad sitting in the driver's seat with a smile on his face there to pick me up and take me home. I quickly brushed the thought aside and didn't bother looking at the driver. It wouldn't have helped. That day was a hard one, but it isn't usually that hard. At times I envy Pete getting to go to Oregon. Beautiful Oregon. It really isn't a sight to see where I'm at here in Argentina. Haha my mission is basically the southern slums of the big city. I would LOVE to go to the tide pools on P-day. Or to play disc golf. Or...or...or. I can´t think like that though. There are great things about every mission. The people here sure take their fútbol serious here. I played for my first time today and they were pretty into it. I jammed my right middle finger twice playing goalie. I asked how often they play basketball and they just laughed.  The area I am in is pretty poor but I really have to take my hat of to them for how efficient their public transportation system is.The food here can be really good. They have a lot of good sweets and the bread is amazing. They have these things here called alfajors and they are kind of like ding dongs but better. Also the ice cream here is amazing. There are some things I want you to send me, just see what you can do. I'll finalize my list next week and you can go from there but this just gives you an idea of what to get together. I don't know how hard this would be but I want you to send me the spices I would need to make chili, and not just once- lots of times. Also I need the recipe for it. You could just email me that, but I need to know how long to cook it and and all those good details. Also I want that camelbak backpack I used to use all the time, but not the bladder and tube. Its too dirty here to use those but I want a comfy backpack to wear around. If you don't think I could carry scriptures in it don't send it but I think I could put them in the bladder pouch or at least one in there and one in the pocket. I love that bag. I like the straps in the front. I would love to go hiking right now. Sometimes when we're walking a long ways and its hot I just think to myself, only a little longer and we drop into the canyon where its much cooler and not long after that there will be some nice cool water which by that time I will feel nice and cool and won't want to get in the water. Imagination is a great thing haha. Also, this isn't near as important but Yellow Gatorade powder would be amazing too. I think I'm going to need some new athletic shoes soon but I can buy those here. There were some other things I can't think of right now. Its so hard to find time to write letters here. We get back to the pench late a lot-I really wish we would get back on time, I told Elder Sobré we should but he didn't listen to me like usual-so thats a big reason. I'll find some time to write Sam another letter though.
     Hey Sam I don't have a whole lot of time left to email but I just want to let you know I love you. You are a great little brother. I won't be able to say that for much longer because soon you will be a great big brother. I'm glad to hear that you and Mom have been reading the Book of Mormon every day! That is so awesome! Don't worry if you don't finish it in time as long as you guys try! Every day is pretty dang good! I know the Book of Mormon is true. It has really helped me in my life. The Gospel is true buddy. I'm sure we would still be happy without it but our lives are so much better because of it and it is the way that we can return to live with God! Argentina is good. The language they speak here is NOT Spanish its Castellano. Don't mix that up. You should have Dad go to the park with you to play catch with the frisbee. Keep improving your throw and you'll be so much better than me and Pete when you're our ages. I look forward to playing games and Ultimate with you and Pete. I love you buddy. Hang in there. School can suck at times but it is a lot harder if you let it get you down. Be happy! That's the way I see things. Things are always better when you have a good attitude about things.
     I need to get going. I love you guys. I can't believe Pete is getting married on Friday! What are you guys doing about me not being there for pictures, do you have a cardboard cutout of me? Tell Pete I love him and hope the wedding goes well for him. You guys enjoy the wedding too! Dad and Sam each need to eat an extra piece of cake for me. Actually it would be better if you guys shoved cake in each other's face. Just eating it is fine too haha. I love you guys and sure miss you. Don't worry about me here in Argentina though, I'm doing just fine. I love the work, I love the people, and I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Until next week, ¡Paz!
Love, Elder Woodside