November 11, 2013

HOLA,

We are actually 4 hours ahead with daylight saving and I check my mail at about 10:30

But yeah! I have never been more depressed in my life, My birthday was good I guess. It didn´t feel to much like a birthday and since Im new here no one in the ward really cared haha, so me and my comp elder Cranney from Utah went to a little mall were they had a subway, it was super awesome. But yeah other then that just work, my 6 month mark was the 8th and I just realized there is still a year and a half... Its feeling a little like I´m hitting a wall. But just keep pushing I guess. It has rained here soooooo much. Like I am going to take some pictures in our area we cover like Jungle, and Pure third world poverty. Argentina is not a bad country but most the poverty is in Buenos Aires and Our mission covers like THE POVERTY. So I am not really getting a feel for what all of Argentina is like since I feel like I entered a help the children in africa comercial.

I dont want to freak you out, I am pretty safe here, but these people are a cold people. Its a little insane to me. We had one less active woman who we tried to bring to church but she couldnt go because her son got shot the night before because people were breaking in to their yard. This may sound crazy, but it is so normal here that it is just life. My companion has seen people get shot here. I´m just feeling a little homesick I guess haha, but hey, how great would a bullet wound be for a story... just kidding.

Also I am already dissensitized to women, there is so much nudity in this place its like normal now, women feed there babies in front of us and girls wear nothing here, since its like a million degress outside. Its worse and just going to get worse. The dogs here... well I am going to come back and kill them all. They are like diseased and crazy, we saw one eating another and they fight in the streets haha it is INSANE!
 As for being 20, I don´t feel anything. I am just wondering how I am going to make it through this mission. I am going to party and celebrate my two birthdays when I get back haha

I miss you guys more then I have ever missed anyone. I think Im in a culture shock and a mission shock! That is super cool for Hailey and Blake they are getting to be so established in the world! haha it´s weird seeing things change!

I have been kind of sick for awhile with my stomache but let me tell you something, Bidets (I don´t know how to spell it) they are magical and Maybe the only thing I think Argentina does better. Our pench(house) has one and well... I have never been happier. If you build a new house I expect to see a bidet!!! haha

As for animals here, it is kind of tropical and there are parrots and frogs the size of my face. and did I mention dogs! haha I´m going to try and sneak some pictures this week. But I hope everything is good with you guys! I love you a ton!!!

Elder Woods.

Mitch!!!!

November 4, 2013

Birthdays in the mission kind of stink a lot, but I got it on a p-day so I guess I lucked out :)

My area is pretty cool, I think a little less poor then the one I started in, but still people live in like concrete huts with tin roofs and no windows, water.. or toilets. Pretty much nothing. The missionary pensions are usually not huts... but they are pretty ghetto. I was thinking the other day walking through the streets with a billion diseased dogs and dirt and mud.. (it rained like I have never seen the other day) I thought wow dad would literally die here. Suprisingly I am already used to the conditions here, I dont remember the US much. How weird is that? Its only been a week. But yeah, things here are super sketchy. I have fought dogs and Im pretty sure the things I return with will all be different from what I came in with. Being robbed happens a lot here. We heard that the buenos aires missions are some of the most dangerous for missionaries.. which I can believe. We have a block that got circled in our area with red. I later found out a missionary got his throat cut like a year ago there. Its all good though, he lived. But things here are a little more intense! haha I have to be on my A game all the time. Also they were not kidding about the blonde hair, blue eye argentine love. I have some full grown women flirting with me. I am not too attracted to the women here. I pretty positive my future wife will be in AMERICA!!! haha but yeah, I stand out reallly hard here. Not alot has happened here though. A lot of working with the few members we have and well yeah. My companion has been here in this area for  8 months so he is kind of burnt out because he has clapped all the houses. Work here is tough, there will be a lot of service because these houses are like all hand made and falling apart. So yeah. that and just trying to help in all the ways I can, all I can say is these people are a little different then what I am use to. but still good.

Also I have made a christmas list for you.you can choose if you want to give me anything but nonetheless it has been made haha

1. Electric shaver, not one with the three spinners but like bars.. if that makes sense.

2. cologne. (I stink all the time) that would be luxury :)

3. there is a water filter from cabellas that is like a black pump.

4.Just money in the card to buy souvenirs here

5. the USA world cup jersey, its red and white stripes.. for when the world cup comes!!! :)

6. Hard drives and sim cards for the camera!!!

7. CANDY AND JERKKKKKYYYYY!!!

This is all, its relatively small. But you dont have to do anything if you dont want. These were things I just thought would be nice! but yeah! Argentina would be nice if I could party here.. but just work, maybe I can play soccer here though. Thats fun. but yeah, we are going to splurge and either get subway or mcdonalds :D these are like fancy restaurants here haha how funny!

well! Les amo

be carfull and know I love you!!! Chau

Mitch

October 29, 2013



 Oh boy I have some stories for you guys!!!

First off, this place is crazy!! I am not in Utah anymore jaja

The flight was good but verrry long, I got only 40 minutes of sleep and then it was off to work. The airports were crazy and we are three hours ahead here so I like went into the future.. weird. But yeah we spent the whole night with the mission president and then slept in this giant pension or house and it was looking over the city! The city is insane it is super ghetto! Like the poverty here was the first culture shock! and well the atmosphere is a lot different. Laws dont really exist here, people kind of do what they want! There are billboards of pornagraphic things on the highway and marijuana is legal so I smelt that everywhere we went.. after the first day with the president we had a quick meeting about some things and then we got a temporary assignment with a missionary and I went with an elder named Walker we were in Gran Catan.. look it up, I wish I could take pictures buuut if we are seen with  anything like a camera.. instantly robbed. It is crazy here sooo many dogs. I was attacked by a dog the first day and I kicked it as hard as I could in the face.. straight destroyed it and no one cared because that is normal here. Also there is sewage all over the side of the roads and trash like no one would believe. I am having major culture shock jaja My spanish is good, I feel confident talking and everything seems to be working out.

Just living in the straight GHETTO haha

also cars here are crazy too, I almost got hit like 3 times and there really is not limits or anything... you drive how you want here. The mission here is a lot more strict and obedient, hopefully I dont get sent home early I am afraid I am not obedient enough. Also have I told you how much walking we do... On sunday we walked over 20 something miles, soo much. My legs are going to be rocks!!! haha

So if I live through this, I will be a much more manly personI know it!!!

We had one lesson (our first lesson) and the girl looked at me and was like tiene una naranja I was like hmm what is naranja and then I remembered it means spider.. i had a huge spider on my tie because this house was so poor they had spiders the size of a golf ball.. I didnt scream but I punched it off hard. Then later when we where talking she screamed otra vez naranja and again A GIANT spider was in the same spot, I punched it and got it off.

But wow, this place is freaky a little bit.

Transfers where today and now I have a new comp, he seems really cool. We live in the middle of the city but our area is like gran catan and super ghetto (we live outside of our area) villegas  I cant remember our zone name though.

We have the temple in the mission.Its by the airport and this zone that I am in is like 15 minutes from the temple!!! Tengo SUERTE :D

I am so excited! I love it here... and kind of hate it. I see now HOW INCREDIBLE lucky we are to live in the USA holy cow! They told me that buenos aires is the nicest city in sudamerica but wow thats all I can say. if this is the best then.. wow.

I love you guys be safe and take care! i will try to survive here!

CON AMOR, mitch!

Thanks to you guys for all that you do!

I think it will be hard to send pictures here in argentina. there is not a lot of really nice computers to hook up to, Im in a cyber cafe thing and well.. its really sketchy and ghetto. but I am trying to take pictures when i have the chance..

LOVE YOU AGAIN!

chau

Argentina!

Dear Sister Woods,

 We enjoyed our day with Elder Woods. He was super tired, but in spite of it all he pushed through it. We look forward to working with him. We are super happy he is finally here!

Love,
Hermana Carter
 

Visa Notice

Dear Parents,

You will be happy to know that your missionaries have received their visas for Argentina.  They will be leaving October 24.

President Hansen has asked that the missionaries not know until a day or two before they leave of their travel plans.  If they know, most of them get distracted and lose focus on their mission.  If you need to communicate with them, please do not mention that they will be leaving our mission until Mon. Oct 21 by which time they will know.

Thank you!  We have enjoyed having your missionaries with us and wish them success in their Argentine missions.

Sister Dewey

Utah Salt Lake City Mission office

October 21, 2013

Well this will be relatively short since... I locked the keys in our car and we are waiting for this guy to come and all this nonsense. Our mission office is like the US government... slow and kind of lost a lot of the time! But so we had to walk and it took a long time to get to the library. Just training for all the walking about to happen! yaaay

So yeah I am going to call you probably like thursday, so I don't really know what to write!

But yeah the baptism didn't happen. I almost killed myself, she called the night before and said crying she couldn't because her parents forbid it. But she showed up yesterday at church soo, she will be baptised. Just not with me there :/ matter of time I guess.

That was tough but things are good now just a lot of packing and trying to get ready! I am excited though! It kind of killed me in this mission, my ambition and determination to find kind of ended. because I am leaving. It's tough.

Also no pictures the camera is in the car... with the keys :(

Just know I love you and I'll call you as soon as I can!!!!

Mitch!

October 14, 2013

Well first off! HELLO!

How are you guys all doing, Things sound nice back home, some days I think of just coming back. but... Utexico is soo awesome. jaja..ja

I love the people and I love teaching (when we can teach) but latin people don't care about their own time and our time to them is like.. nada.

This transfer is almost over and I am a bit grateful. I really have not been too happy or motivated... some may call it depression. I don't know what to write about today! I am just working hard to find prepared people! Yesterday a guy came to church and a sister told me it was his first time, so I sat with him and he's 25 from mexico, I asked if this was his first time and he said yeah it was his first time going to church in awhile, so I was like are you a member? and he told me yes, but I had an overwhelming feeling of NO! I watched him and talked to him and later found out he had never been to an LDS church, so that was really cool and I was able to set up a meeting with him today at 1:30! So I pray that it will be something good.

Also Kathy the girl we took to conference, well we had a really good lesson with her and she is on date to be baptised this weekend! yaaay! It is so awesome seeing how much she has grown, she is a lot happier and it's like a mini miracle! Hopefully it all works out, one of the guys supposed to be baptised this last week, dropped us a few days before his baptism. I don't understand but from what I heard he works in construction and his coworkers where like making fun of his decision to join the church so now he  doesn't want to meet with us. We had been meeting for more than a year and never once was he uncomfortable with us and actually he loves us, he told us he liked us a lot when he dropped us. So that has been frustrating me a lot. Getting so close and just seeing everything fall apart. UGH! but I pray Kathy works if not... I'm coming home. haha jk.. kind of.

I Don't know what the deal is with the visa, I told you guys that it would be 8 months because I wanted to make an unreasonable goal so I would be happy if it came early. Now I am super upset and well, the visa.. It will never come. Salt Lake City will be my mission, It depresses me a bit, but that visa will never come. The church lied to me.

Im looking at it bad I know but I am just frustrated, Not my will but Gods will be done. I am just really hating the "will"  But things are good, I am good, please send some jerky up here... I love jerky. ALSO It is starting to get really cold her and since I assumed I would be in Argentina I don't have cold clothes I will try and endure. maybe find a jacket at DI until I leave. But dang these people and their tricks! Now I am going to freeze and DIEEEEEE!

Also here is a funny story, these two pretty girls where knocking on our door, so I was like "hey Elder Osborne get down here!" I was dressed up and I was like I wonder what these girls need... haha So I opened it and you know what they say to me... they say, "hi we are jehovas witness" WHAT THE HECK!

So they gave us the watchtower magezine and all the good stuff and I was open to it, it was really interesting! but as soon as I tried to share what we believe and how a lot is similar.. they were mean to me! and didn't listen, they read a scripture in Matthew about how all scripture is used for good and for the learning of men. I shared some scriptures like that and offered a book of mormon, because yeah they are right all scripture if it be from God is for our good. They told me they only need the Bible... and well things didn't progess so I gave them waters and told them have a good day. but, almost it was close, they were both latin but didn't speak spanish, so we couldn't teach them anyway :/ next time haha

But yeah that is my life as of the moment, trying to work, be happy and maybe have something to show for it. How is Marah doing... Tell her to start emailing me or when I get back she will recieve major punishment and destruction through my just wrath. haha

I love you guys a lot! I hope you are good in health and in your actions haha!

Call me my number is (801)-***-****     haha :)

Con amor, Mitch

I love you   Tell austin to freaking write me! and all my other so called friends that are no where to be found! hahaha Love you, again I repeat.. send jerky, my supplies are running low...

 Cafe Rio after zone conference

October 7, 2013

Familia!

So yeah we went to all the conferences! It was awesome and weird, I met a lot of people I knew which was awfull because It made me super homesick! I also saw Preston Nygren, he is engaged! It was so weird because I heard someone screaming MITCH!! MITCHELL!!! and I was like PRESTON, then he said are you still in the mtc, and I was like no! haha This is my mission. haha so weird being so close, but yeah two sessions we watched were in spanish... and that was crazy, It was weird not hearing the voices of the apostles or the prophet.

But yeah things are good here, a family made me eggs early yesterday because I told them about your eggs on sunday haha. I am trying hard and I'm super frustrated I feel a bit like a failure and my confidence is struggling! I wish you were here so you could just tell me what to do and I could just do that because I feel so lost without people guiding me. It's hard.

Also Im so happy you met Shawna and Jasper! How is their baby? I hope they are doing good, I love them! Tell them I say hola, and that they need to be good! haha

Also yeah, if I get shipped to argentina. I will call you, I will let you know! don't worry haha.

 I'm still just like half a day away...jaja

We only have two weeks left of this transfer and I'm pretty sure I'm either getting that dang visa or I am going to another area. But who knows maybe we will just get another person to train. but yeah, the work is tough but worth it! We are finding a lot but I am awfull with following up and really getting a good thing going. I'm not shy, I just sound funny and don't know what I'm doing haha.

Hailey, I have a letter I wrote for hailey last week but couldn't send it off until today,

tell her I haven't olvidado!

But yeah hopefully we have a few baptisms before the end of this transfer! Sorry no pictures I suck with taking pictures with me because I don't carry my camera everywhere with me!

 haha forgive me!!!

I love you guys a ton! hope your all okay!

November 8th will be 6 months can you believe dat! LOCO

I'm thinking I might ask the president in Argentina to extend. I don't know if he will let me!

but that is my plan.

I love the work! I love and hate spanish. And I love you all!

cuidense mucho! los amo muchisimo!

No puedo escribir tanto en espanol, pero solo sabe que ustedes son la mas gran familia aun puedo pedir para!

A vezes yo no hago sentido porque trato a tranducir de ingles a espanol. Pero cosas estan mejorando, y estoy lleno con las cosas que nuestro padre celstial quiere para mi.

He visto muchas bendiciones en mi mision a este tiempo en mi vida. Yo se que todo sera bien, solo perseverar hasta el fin!

Google translate:

take care a lot! I love them very much!

I can not write much in Spanish, but just know that you are the big family even more I can ask for!
A vezes I do not make sense because tranducir treatment of English to Spanish. But things are improving, and I am filled with the things that our father celstial wants for me.
I have seen many blessings in my mission at this time in my life. I know everything will be fine, just persevere to the end!

Mitch

PS after conference we have to wear suits everyday... I hate it!!!!!!!!!!

Mama Winn's Blog

These pictures are from the Winn's blog. President Winn was Mitch's 1st mission president

Freshman class - June 19th

Layton Zone

September 30, 2013

I'm glad everything is good.

I am about to die I think from religious depression. I just want to accomplish great things but Its super hard right now. Me and my son (companion) are working but I am slowly losing desire to talk to these people. This language is destroying me so much. It's just not coming at the speed I want, I can speak it enough were people understand, but when they talk it's so frustrating because only 50% of the time I know what is being said. It's really hard to have conversations when you don't know what's going on.

Working with members is like the most efficient and effective way. Missionaries come and go but if an investigator has a fellowshipper that will be with them it will help them grow in a more comfortable way. Here we aren't allowed to "tract" because utah has so many members its easier to find with members, or so they say. BUT our members are really slacking and so we are trying to meet with them. But I still take my companion and tract because I hate just sitting around waiting for members to not be afraid and just share the things that they say they love! SHARE THE FRUIT PEOPLE dang!

We are working with a person to help them stop smoking weed and well we committed them to stop and test the blessings that they recieve and they straight up took all they had and gave it to us. It was a little weird leaving a lesson with all this paraphanalia haha but we destroyed it and hopefully that person stays good! but it was really cool to see how willng they were to just change. Thats the coolest thing is seeing peoples lives change! We don't have pictures yet, my companion doesn't take much and I really don't take much but I will try and correct that :)

I miss sunday night barbeque. and the eggs. Every sunday is not the same. In fact I can't wait till the day when Sunday doesn't feel like every other day.

It's weird how fast things seem to be going though, I remember perfectely what was happening this time last year. I'm pretty sure it snowed in Rexburg because it was like the 3rd day of october and there was snow there! I can't believe it's been a year since that! It's almost my birthday! too... like wow, I will no longer be in the teens. I feel like I'm 10 though. I look 10 too, these latins are always making fun of me because I'm skinny. They always say to me "Elder que es eso?" What is that? I reply "que esta diciendo, que es que?" what are you saying what is what? they say. "La cosa llevando su cabeza" The thing carrying your head.. I will act confused and they will be like "ay es su cuerpo jajajaja" OH ITS YOUR BODY HAHA

They tell me i'm flaco(skinny) and need to come mas (eat more)

I demand more respect, but I'm little and white, they don't respect nada!

haha but yeah, I think that is all I can remember, but I am doing... good. I want to die sometimes but I think that's normal. At least I don't have parasites haha

As for marah, I hope she heals. Tell her to write me! I love you guys

Love you dad, thanks for calling me Mitch! :) I still don't know if I like Elder that much.

It's a little weird.

Mom, you need to have more fun haha I love you, thanks for all you do, I hope you don't forget about me. I will call you when I get the visa.

Should be in a few weeks (I am guessing) but fingers crossed.

P.S Our mission president and his wife drive highlanders, they are like 1000000 years old, I've decided that car is an old person car ;)

(We are looking at getting a highlander. Guess we are old!)

Portase bien! Los amo muchisimo!

Mitch

September 23, 2013

Well, Im glad you think of me.

This week has been super long and slow, we are working on finding and teaching. We are teaching quite a bit and finding some too! We are doing fairly well with all things considered.     But yeah I'm hoping we are helping and that this kid I'm training is doing good. It's super tough... SUPER! but get this, everyone who had been waiting in the mission for a long time for their visas... all of them came in. Now I'm like the oldest visa waiter in the mission. So next up is me, and the visas have been going through faster now. They have people in the MTC going straight to Argentina now... so who knows I'm excited.

We went to the temple today and so we don't have much time. We are doing emails in the church library though.. It's pretty cool! Tell Alex good luck! and everyone else about to leave! Buenos Suerte (good luck)

They are changing our carpet in our apartment on like 4 different days so we sleep all over the house.

It's dumb

We are going to play soccer today too. It's one of the few things that brings me joy these days. haha

Exchanges will be good for you! Just as long as you don't take over the lessons of the missionaries :) haha That's one of the most frustrating things we deal with, members teaching something totally different and just taking over. Also help them!!! with the things they ask and actually do it if you say you will.    

  (MItch's dad got called to be a ward missionary)

Our ward doesn't help alot. I guess there where 350 active members before  and now there are 220. We had a ward meeting yesterday  I was really upset yesterday! I am learnig that a lot more could happen in the world if people understood AND fullfilled their purpose with mission work.

But I know you are one of the best so you got this!!!!

Love you lots, I'm super homesick.

Elder Woods

Also if your talking about my mission father being in there.. yes I know. I have a signed copy. and also my mission mom (the oldest sister in my first district) she is in there too :) and her picture is also signed. I come from a strong line :)

(Elder Verges's picture is in the May 2013 conference issue of the Ensign - pg 45)

haha I love you mom. keep up the reading, that's how you will recieve your own personal revelation.

LOS AMO!

Mitch

September 16, 2013

So my companion is named Elder Hyrum Osborne, he is pretty cool.

ummm really mormon.

So we will see how it goes, it's not the same with out my other companions, I feel like I'm slowly drowning without them. So Things are really stressful and I've been sick for the past three days. But I think things will go good, we might not have the same success without a native speaker which will frustrate me a little, but I will learn something from this I'm sure. I am getting better with the spanish.. and my companion.. needs work haha but we will get it.

It has rained sooo much here, like everyday. It's nice though I don't mind.  I miss sunday night grilled food with a PASSION. I am starting to hate mexican food. Like it kills me from the inside out.

 But right now things are just going slow, I'm trying to figure out what to do, this guy looks at me wondering what to do. I'm just like I don't know either! I don't tell him that because I am trying to at least let him feel like we know what we are doing. It's crazyyy. We have had some people to teach and it goes fairly well, I am definitely seeing divine help with my language. But yeah, I miss my native speaking companions sooo much. I don't know too many crazy stories,

Elder Verges gave me a jersey from argentina right before he left. I might send it home for you guys to protect because I don't want anything to happen to it.. I treasure it so much! I miss you guys alot I started thinking this is the longest I've been away.. UGH. Also I started thinking, by the end of this transfer I will have 6 months under my belt and that Sean Farley almost has like a year... It hasn't felt like it's been that long!

I've met a lot of people. I don't know who all I have touched but.. Im trying.

Last night I had a dream in spanish... It wasn't as weird as I thought.. because I could kind of understand.. It was just like talking. It's a little weird when I think about it. But yeah. I will be here for conference probably and maybe we could see each other if you just happened to be there :) haha

but yeah, my toe is healing well which is nice. I am becoming more of a man everyday. So things are good. I hope Marah heals up! and that Hailey and Blake are successful with there plans! As for Delton WHAT THE HECK!!! (Mitch's friend Delton got married) that is awesome but so weird to think that the world outside of here is still happening and that people are changing so much :( I'm really sad I missed that. Ugh, I am missing everything too much. I need to stop thinking about it all. but yeah.

I really miss all you and hope that all is well. I Love you Dad, and I love you Mom!

Send me candy and more Jerky :) as for clothes... right now I'm okay! Thank you!

LES AMO!!!!!"

PS Mom I hope everything is going good at home. Keep up the good motherly work. I will buy you ice cream when I get back to celebrate your good mom-ness

Elder Osborne

September 9, 2013

Well this will be really short.

My companion died (finished his mission) so we didn't do anything this week.

We are having transfers this week, and my other companion is leaving, I'm staying and getting a kid to train. Which is unheard of in this mission. First off, Visa waiters are never senior companion USUALLY and also, they are not trainers. The kid I'm getting, doesn't know spanish. I don't know spanish... I am more then frustrated and stressed. I threw up a little. and now I don't feel good at all. This is one of the worst weeks I have had in years that I can remember. I want to cry. Please pray for me....

But yeah, I pray for you. I hope everything is good. I'm sorry for not writing more.

 I just feel sick and sad.

Love you.

Mitch

September 2, 2013

So hey I'm writing this on an iPad and it's annoying me. So this might be short. No computers since it's Labor Day so we are using a members.

So things for me are good, I'm trying to be exactly obedient, in Alma 57: 27 or somewhere like that it talks about how the sons of Helaman where successful because of their obedience. I think that is the scripture but I'm not sure, it's around there haha.

But yeah this week has been good, it was pretty dramatic due to the fact we work with sister missionaries. But yeah, my trainer E. Verges has 10 days left. He's pretty done but we are trying to still work hard. I'm really stressed to the point I want to cry all the time this is soo hard to do everyday. I am really really homesick lately and I'm having a hard time giving up who my past self was. Ugh, Also I heard some news on transfers and can't say anything till it happens or not but It makes me sick every second of everyday. My Spanish is frustrating a lot and I don't want Verges to leave. I don't know I just feel so much pressure.

Also about my toe I think it may be a bit infected... Pray for it. Seriously haha no joke.

I hope you like the pictures, I borrowed them from my companion

I have no time though and no stories, just us trying to find new people to teach. Things are slow and we are just saying good bye to some of the members before Verges is done.

I love you guys so much and miss you more then you know.

Love, Mitch!!!

  

President Uchtdorf at the July 24th parade

haha the slow kids playing, just looked a little off haha

Hiking / Canyon Pictures