Monday, December 28, 2015

Week 46 - We are the Shepherds

Skyping with our wonderful missionary!


Dear Mom,

It was very lovely to get to talk to you all on Christmas day! That was the best part of the day! :D After we hung up, and I walked into the kitchen, everyone could see how happy I was! One lady mentioned (in spanish) that I was just beaming from ear to ear when I walked in, and I looked very content and happy :)

These past few weeks we've been sharing Luke 2:8-18 with everyone, and pointing out that fact the angel told the shepherds to not fear. We could place ourselves as these shepherds, because we all have a "flock" to watch over. As Parents, you watch over your children, as missionaries, we watch over our investigators and the members, as Church Leaders, you watch over the unit that you are assigned to. And with these assignments, we might have a bit of fear, fear that we can't do it, fear that we're not good enough, fear that someone's going to fall away and that you won't find them. But the Angel (or the prophets) tell us fear not, because THE Good News has been born, and will save all those willing to repent. That's something I've learned this week.

Man, what else is there to talk about that we didn't talk about on Christmas?? haha

Megan sent me a lovely package on goodies that I really really enjoyed!! :) I'm planning on sending my late Christmas package to you all today, and hopefully it gets there soon! :)

With much love,

Elder Patrick Wockenfuss

Monday, December 21, 2015

Week 45 - Elder Santa Claus, and Lessons with a Less Active/Part Member Family

Dear Mom,

I'm glad that you all enjoyed the Star Wars movie!! I was wondering how it was haha So I'm sure I won't be disappointed :)

3:00 works good for us for Skyping! We'll be at our Branch President's house to Skype and eat dinner, so I'll let him know of when we're gonna skype :)

This week we had a pretty good experience with a LA/PM family this past week. We visited this family with our branch mission leader, and everything happened one right after another. We knocked on the family's door immediately after they had just finished watching the Cokeville Miracle, we then came in and shared a message about Luke 2 and helping our fellowman. After we shared the message, the husband (who isn't a member) came home, so we summarized and discussed with him what we shared to his family. After we ended with a prayer, a young man came downstairs and asked if we were mormons or christians. We explained how we are both, and then he told us that he had gotten baptized in the YSA Branch about a month ago, and now he's living with our LAPM family. Neither the family nor the young man knew that the other was mormon. So it was all a very interesting experience for us all. It may not sound interesting in email, but it was very cool to experience!

I've gotten lots of your Christmas packages this week haha I opened them to see lots of Christmas presents inside haha I have them all underneath my tree right now haha

Speaking of Christmas, guess who was Santa at our Branch Christmas party?? 

"Under the beard and wig, you know that face haha"


It was a really great activity! And Elder Clark and I both got Christmas presents out of it too haha We both got a penguin pillow pet, and a lightsaber toy thing! I'll send pics next week!

Not too much else happened this week, just little randomness bits of Clarkenfuss through the week haha At the end of the day, we always vote on the quote of the day, the one thing that was said or done, that made us laugh the most! I don't remember all of them, but they always make me laugh haha :)

I can't wait to see you at Christmas! :D

Please continue to write and email when you can! I love hearing from you!

With much love,

Elder Patrick Wockenfuss

[something he shared in his e-mail to Mary]

So something I learned a while ago at the beginning of mission, is that in Spanish, the phrase "Endure to the End" is "Perseverar hasta el fin", which is to Persevere to the End. To me, that sounds a lot better than Endure. To me, Endure sounds like you're just letting everything beat against you till it's done, but Persevere sounds actually like you're pushing through the storms of this life, that you're doing the right in good times and bad, like you have an attitude that you WILL make to the end. So, I like the spanish version of the phrase better. And then Megan told me today that she had heard from someone that it should be Enjoy to the End instead. And that is exactly right! We can't just be grumpy about everything and not enjoy the small moments as they pass by. Our time on the earth is short, lets make the most out of it! and have joy in the journey! :)

Monday, December 14, 2015

Week 44 - Two Baptisms, Christmas, and Companion Shena-nion-gans

Dear Mom,

Everything went super well this week! We had 2 baptisms last night, which was awesome!! :D

Our 2 baptisms, Miguel and Tristan
This past weekend was also a Christmas activity for the stake and the community at large. All the missionaries in Temecula helped set it all up on Thursday, we were there pretty much all day helping out.  then the next evening, we were there just being ushers and helpers. It was a very cool activity!

This upcoming Friday we have a Branch Christmas activity! I can't wait to see what that's like! We're also preparing for an activity in January to help out with Missionary Work here in the Branch. We're going to be showing Meet The Mormons in the gym and have little snacks for people to enjoy. Not sure yet what else we're going to do for it, but we'll see :)

On Christmas Eve, we're going to have a Christmas Party with the whole mission, and there's going to be a talent show too! I am going to be performing twice haha once with Elder Talbot in the more fun portion, and once by myself in the devotional part.

Also, what time would work best for you all on Christmas, so that we can skype? 

Elder Clark and I after Transfer Meeting :D Same style tie, exact same bag!
We were meant to be companions haha
Man... I can't think of anything else that happened this week of great significance. Elder Clark and I have our usual shenanigans, which are always fun and weird at the same time. Sometimes he puts me in a wrestler hold, sometimes I shoot him with a nerf gun as he's coming out of the bathroom, sometimes we both just open fire (with all our nerf guns) on the missionaries in our car share when they come to take the car haha sometimes we just say random stupid things and laugh haha so needless to say, we have a great time!

Please continue to write and email when you can, I love hearing from you!

With much love,

Elder Patrick Wockenfuss



"If the Grinch were turned into a tie."


Monday, December 7, 2015

Week 43 - New Companion "like Troy", Potential Baptism, and Chicken Soup for the Sick Missionary's Soul

Dear Mom,

My new companion's name is Elder Clark. And we have both been trained by Elder Garcia! So in mission terms, Elder Clark and I are brothers!! :D He was trained before I was, so he's my "big brother" haha

Elder Clark is very much like Troy haha so we get along great! I've already died laughing so many times this week, I just can't count haha I can't wait for the different shenanigans that we get into!! haha After Transfer Meeting, Elder Clark and I discovered that we had the same patterned tie, just different colors, and we have the exact same shoulder bag. We concluded that this companionship was meant to be haha

We taught our investigators twice this week (who are the kids of less-active member) and in the first lesson, we read Mosiah 18:8-10, asked one of them a question about baptism, then he started crying because he wants to get baptized so badly. So we invited both of them to be baptized this Sunday! :D and all is going according to plan with that so far :) You'll probably see a pic of us at his baptism next P-Day :)

I did get the package with my coat and fun Christmas ties! I'll send pics of me wearing the ties next week! Is it just me or does the green tie you sent in the package looks like what the grinch would be if someone turned him into a tie? haha I love it!!

On Saturday, Elder Clark and I were sicker than dogs! So we just stayed inside all day and flopped around, it wasn't fun haha but we called the Morgan family and asked them for some Chicken Noodle Soup for dinner, which they graciously provided for us :) It made us feel tons better!!

I'll be praying for you during Finals :)

Please continue to write and email when you can! I love hearing from you!

With much love,

Elder Patrick Wockenfuss


[An excerpt from his e-mail to Mary]

Something I learned in my scripture study this week was about Nephi and how the Lord asked him to build a ship. And instead of asking immediately for the ship, or for the tools, he asked the lord where to go to find the ore so that he could MAKE the tools. It's kind of like our lives. We all have "ships" that God has asked us to build, but instead of saying "ok, give me the result right now," we can ask "where should I go and what should I do to begin the endeavor of accomplishing this task?" 


It was pretty powerful to me, so I've been sharing it as dinner messages :)

Monday, November 30, 2015

Week 42 - Thanksgiving, Elder Bucko Gets Transferred (Already), and a New Name

Dear Mom,

I definitely reread your emails a lot, because they always offer me comfort and wise words :)

So here's something that totally surprised us that were not expecting whatsoever: Elder Bucko is getting transfered on Tuesday....At first, I was pretty upset that Elder Bucko was getting transfered, I was wondering if it was something that maybe I did wrong, maybe I wasn't good enough, but then after letting some time and prayer, I realized that it wasn't anything I did wrong, but that the Lord needs him somewhere right now, and that I taught him everything that he needed to learn from me. So I'm okay with it now haha but I will miss him though.

So we weren't able to meet with our investigator this past week, but hopefully we will this week!

We had an awesome Thanksgiving day! We got together with the Zone and played volleyball and a couple of other games. Then at about 1, we went to a members house in an english ward with a couple other missionaries, and we watched The Singles Ward, ate a wonderful Thanksgiving lunch, and watched The Cokeville Miracle. Have you seen that movie? It's the newest T.C. Christiansen movie, and it is sooo good! Then we went to a members house in our branch for dinner, and they had several other families over as well. It was a wonderful time! we ate soo much food, laughed, had a great time, and then towards the end, the head of house (Brother Herrera) had us all take turns telling what we were grateful for. As everyone talked about all the different things that they were grateful for, I'm pretty sure we all had a wonderful feeling of peace and, well, gratitude haha what a great way to end the evening!

It's certainly a very different feeling not being home for Christmas, but I know I'm supposed to be here, and the members make it feel like I have a home here too :) I'm looking forward to skyping you all on Christmas!

Also, we helped a part member family move this past week, and the father (who is the member) agreed to let us teach his children who have been coming to church for 3 years, but hasn't let them get baptized in the past. So now his heart has been softened, and hopefully very soon his kids will be baptized.

All in all, It was a good week! :) I hope it stays that way haha

Please continue to write and email when you can!

With much love,

Elder Patrick Wockenfuss

P.S. We found a program for sacrament meeting fro a couple weeks ago, and they spelled my last name as "Wonkenfuss"! I had to laugh pretty hard, cuz that was honestly a new spelling that I had never seen before haha

Monday, November 23, 2015

Week 41 - The Talent Show, A New Investigator, and Helping an Eagle Scout

Dear Mom,

Thank you for always saying something to cheer me up! there have been several days this past week when I've been kinda down, but after talking with our district leader, and reading what you send me, I'm definitely cheered up :)

For the Talent Show, I actually performed first, and I played the Mormon Guitar rendition of When I am Baptized. Many people came up to me and told me that they loved it and that I played really well! Elder Bucko did a Jon Schmidt rendition of a hymn, but I can't remember the title. People also came up to him and said that he did really well!

The Talent Show was a blast! I loved it! There were so many wonderful talents that people showed off! And there was lots of food, so that made me happy as well haha There were also many non-members there as well, and we're hoping that they want to start taking the lessons soon!

The best thing that happened this week was that we actually picked up a new investigator!! :D It was Elder Bucko's very first time teaching, and I think he did fantastic! And we're going to be teaching him again this week! :) And we have several possibilities of non-member families wanting to take the lessons! So hoping and praying that things turn around very soon! :)

We also helped a young man in our branch with his Eagle Scout project this past weekend! we scraped and repainted a giant container thing for the baseball team at his school. By the end of it, I had a bunch of blue dust on one arm, and red paint on the other arm haha

Not much else happened this week, hopefully more will happen this next week! :)

Please continue to write and email when you can, I love hearing from you!

With much love,

Elder Patrick Wockenfuss

I love you!



Excerpt from his e-mail to Mary: 

This past week I've been reading out of "Our Heritage", just learning a little more about Church History. This week I want to study about Jesus Christ and his role as our savior, because our investigator is coming from a Muslim background, so we want to help him better understand who Jesus Christ is to us. So it should be a fun study! :)


Here's the video of Mormon Guitar's version of "When I Am Baptized":


Monday, November 16, 2015

Week 40 - It's the Famous Guitar-Playing Missionary from Toad Suck, Charlie Brown!

Dear Mom,

Honestly, not much is happening this week, but we did go to a priesthood activity with the men in our branch, and that was a great time! We had lots of food, and we played soccer. It was lots of fun!

So this past week, members in our branch are now starting to discover mine and Elder Bucko's musical talents haha and they really want us to perform at the branch talent show this Friday! So I'm borrowing the guitar that belongs to the Morgan family, and just the other day our high councilman is letting me borrow one of his acoustic-electric guitars, so I can use that one for the show. He is also going to let me have one of his guitar amps that meant for acoustic-electric guitars. He's going to go find out how much it would be for me ship it home, then he'll let me know. Isn't that nice of him?? When we were at his house, I was staring in awe at the guitars that he had! Almost all of them were high-end priced guitars, all of them were just amazing to look at and play. I was a very happy camper to just be there haha

This week Elder Bucko and I have been just trying to contact a bunch of referrals that we've received. So far, not many are answering, but hopefully soon they will! :)

I really love the members here in this branch! They're so nice, and loving to us! I almost feel like I'm one of their sons haha and they tell us that that's exactly how they want us to feel :) so it's nice to have members like them here!

The members tell us ALL the time, that if we don't have any dinners, just call them, and they will feed us :)

Also, apparently I'm famous in one of the wards here now haha I was on exchanges with Elder Talbot in his ward, and we ate dinner with one of the members, and I told him my name and where I was from, and he just died laughing! Then just a couple days ago, at one of their ward activities, he told EVERYONE  about Elder WOCKENFUSS from TOADSUCK, Arkansas. so I am now famous, I guess haha aren't you proud of me? :P

I love the christmas-y tie you sent me! I am very curious as to what is inside the present from amazon, and Elder Bucko, 2 other elders we give rides to, and I, all gasped in happiness and awe when I opened up the Charlie Brown Christmas CD! Needless to day, we popped it in right away haha

Other than that, not much has happened this week! hopefully more will happen soon!

Please continue to write and email when you can! I love hearing from you!

With much love,

Elder Patrick Wockenfuss

It's the famous guitar-playing missionary from Toad Suck, Charlie Brown!

Missionaries in the Temecula Zone.
Elder C. Scott Grow came to visit the Carlsbad California Mission during training last week.
Elder Wockenfuss and Elder Bucko are in the back row. Elder Wockenfuss is fourth from the right.

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Week 39 - Spanish Conference, Branch Talent Night, and Missionary Referrals

Dear Mom,

Thank goodness Temecula is FINALLY cooling down! I can actually wear my sweaters now! :D (Can ya'll send me my sweater coat you got me for my mini mission?)

The Spanish missionaries at Spanish Conference this past week.
Elder Wockenfuss is on the far right. His companion, Elder Bucko, is on Elder Garcia's shoulder.

As you can see, we had Spanish Conference this past week! And it was awesome!! :D We got several different training specialized for Spanish work, we had little mini classes helping us in different areas of spanish grammer, we also had an awesome mexican lunch! and then after the conference, we had mission wide spanish exchanges, so Elder Garcia came up here to Temecula for the day, and I went to Vista. It was lots of fun!!

We went over to our Ward Mission Leader's house the other day for dinner, and they brought their guitar downstairs for me to play, and once they saw my skills, they are actually now letting me borrow it and they want me to perform in the Branch Talent Night next Friday. haha :) Needless to say, I am a happy camper haha

I just now showed Elder Talbot the Toadsuck water tower picture, and he just died laughing! and he asked me to send it to him, so I did. :)



This week Elder Bucko and I have gotten a lot of missionary referrals, so we're gonna be doing our best to contact them throughout this week. Elder Bucko is doing well with learning the language, he just needs to be a little more confident in himself. But he is doing great though!

Also, this past week I've really gotten the mindset to talk with everyone! Ever since the beginning of my mission, I've been kind of scared to talk to random people on the street, and I would many times pass by people and not say anything because I was scared. But for the last 3 exchanges I've been on, I've made that my goal to work on. And thanks to the help of Elder Smith, Elder Leal, Elder Parr, and the power of prayer and faith, Contacting (that's our name for talking to people on the street) has now clicked in my mind, and I talk with everyone now! It's awesome!

Elder Bucko loved his postcards! They made him smile and laugh! Thanks for doing that :)

I've also found that Elder Bucko is a pyromaniac! Many times when we're studying together, I look up from what I'm reading or looking at, and I find him just playing with the candles we have haha I just laugh and make sure that nothing burns down haha :P

Please continue to write and email when you can, I love hearing from you!

With much love,

Elder Patrick Wockenfuss



First night. Elder Wockenfuss and Elder Bucko at dinner.

Family of friends of the Bucko family back home in New York.

Doin' some good.

Monday, November 2, 2015

Week 38 - More Training, New Investigators

Dear Mom,

Not terribly much has happened this week, we're just getting Elder Bucko acquainted with the members here, and just helping him to learn Spanish! He got a bike this past week, so now we can really get some work done! :)

Elder Smith (One of the assistants to the President) was with us one day this week, just seeing how we work in our area and if he can help us in any way, so it was nice to have him! 

Elder Wockenfuss and Elder Bucko at the San Diego temple
"And it was awesome as always!"

This Thursday, we have an event for all the Spanish missionaries here called Spanish Conference!! I've been told a lot about last year's Spanish Conference, so I'm pretty excited for this one! We get to learn about different things with Spanish grammar, have a great time, and we get to go on mission wide exchanges for that next day! :D So it's going to be awesome!

I did get my package with all my Paintball gear, thank you so much!! :D I loved the snickers bars! I haven't eaten all of them yet, but I'm slowly working on it haha

Elder Bucko is doing really well! He's learning Spanish very well, I believe, and the members tell him that as well! He just needs to be more confident in himself :)

Sometimes I look back, and I realize exactly how long I've been in the mission, it's crazy!! I've almost been out a year!

The best thing happened yesterday when Elder Bucko and I were walking around trying to talk to people, we talked with someone who speaks Spanish, AND actually wants us to come back and teach him!! :D We were sooo happy with that! It definitely made the night a lot better haha

Also, Could you send me any other amazing Christmas music? I forgot exactly how much I missed Christmas music haha I listen to it all the time now!! haha specifically, I would like the Pentatonix Christmas albums, if you could :)

Please continue to write and email when you can, I absolutely love hearing from you!

With much love,

Elder Patrick Wockenfuss




[Some pictures from Sister MacNeil. "Halloween after planning meeting."]





Monday, October 26, 2015

Week 37 - Training a Greenie: Week One, and Families Are Forever

Dear Mom,

Well 
It's been a really good experience training so far! We've become good friends, and we get along really well! When I arrived at the Transfer Meeting, I was really nervous to train, and I could feel that the Adversary wanted me to not train and tried to fill me with doubt and fear, especially concerning Spanish and just leading him in general. But once President Kendrick called out my name and I walked up to the front to greet Elder Bucko, all my fear and nervousness vanished. I feel confident that the Lord will bless us in this companionship, and will help me as I train. and to be honest, I would be perfectly happy if I was asked to train for the rest of my mission! It's a really great experience so far! We have had really hard days, but we're working hard and supporting each other through everything!



The members here are also really great in helping us learn Spanish! If you don't exactly know a word, they help us find a word. If we can't understand what they are saying, they slow down and emphasize what they are trying to say. So it's really good to have these members! Also, Sister Morgan and her family do attend the Spanish branch here. Brother Morgan is our Branch Mission Leader, and he speaks Spanish really really well. He served his mission in Columbia, I believe, and he's just kept the Spanish going! :)



"I love the weird swirly tie!!"
We met with our Branch President (President Perez) and his family this past week, because they love to feed the missionaries after Transfer Meetings so they can get to know the new missionary in the area. At one point, we were talking about we were going to eat with another member that day, but she was willing to switch with the Perez family, because she had to take care of her daughter who had a surgery for a brain cancer she has, which upon describing it to me (I asked questions about it as well), it sounded far too familiar. I asked if it was called Oligodendroglioma. they confirmed that it sounded about right. They also told me about how she's had to go through many procedures and the family was really worried for her. By this time, President Perez and the children were hustling about the house, trying to get ready for Wednesday activities and all sorts of things, but Sister Perez was still talking with us at the table. I then told her the story about how Dad had died from that same cancer after a 2 year battle with it, but I shared my testimony about the Plan of Salvation and eternal families, and then I told her something that our family had found out around the time of his death. Just because my Dad is not physically here, that doesn't mean that his family responsibilities have ended. We are still a family even with this separation. He may be in the Spirit World now, but he still has a responsibility to us, and he is taking care of us, and keeping up his end. What I thought was amazing was that I could feel that the spirit created a little bubble around us at the table. Even though everyone else in the house was going every which way and trying to get themselves ready, I could feel the spirit strongly around us there at the table, and I could feel that she was feeling the Spirit, and it testified to her of what I had said. She looked me in the eyes with awe and told me that she had never considered that before, and that she was going to tell that to the dear sister who had gone to take care of her daughter. She told me that if I served in that Branch where that family lived, that I should tell that same experience to her.

"Tell Elder Thomas I love the tie!!"
Elder Thomas is a missionary currently serving in Morrilton Ward in Arkansas.
He wanted to trade ties with Elder Wockenfuss.
An across-the-missions exchange.

Please continue to write and email when you can, I love hearing from you!!

With much love,

Elder Patrick Wockenfuss








[A picture from Sister MacNeil with the Christmas tree we sent her. The Wockenflock tradition continues on in Nevada.]


Monday, October 19, 2015

Week 36 - Awesome Surprise!!!

Dear Mom,

I'm excited to see what's in my packages today! :D Thanks for sending them!

So, Elder Thomas loves flower ties? I have the PERFECT tie to send him! I came into possession of so many flower ties! But I got a real good one to send him!

HERE IS AN AWESOME SURPRISE!! So as you know, Transfers are coming up tomorrow, and I am staying in Temecula (not the surprise)! But on Friday, I got a call from President Kendrick during personal studies, and now I'm going to be a trainer!! :D I'm getting one of the new greenies coming in! I'm excited but super nervous at the same time! That means I'm gonna stay in Temecula for the next 12 weeks :) I'm gonna be with him for 4 different holidays! Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's! (and my 1 YEAR mark.) I'll be sure to email you a pic of us next week!

We don't really have much of a teaching pool right now, but I talked with my Ward Mission Leader at our correlation meeting, and we're going to start visiting members in their homes and teach them different principles of the discussion that they feel like they need, and use that as an opportunity to find people to teach. It'll at least give the new missionary a chance to do some teaching while we don't have much of a teaching pool.

There's not that much to say other than that exciting news! Please pray for me as I begin training tomorrow!

Please continue to write and email when you get a chance, I love hearing from you!

With much love,

Elder Patrick Wockenfuss

P.S. I've found out recently that people that I don't even know are reading the blog of my emails! :) An Elder in our district who's just finished getting trained told me that before he left, his girlfriend told him about a story she had read on a blog, about a missionary who pranked the Zone Leaders by putting their beds on the kitchen roof. (Sound familiar? :P) she told him, "you'll never guess where he's from" :P And his mom told about a Janky Bike Story from the same blog. (Too familiar haha) So the blog's definitely getting out there haha


[Elder Wockenfuss' response to Mary's e-mail, asking what scripture he's ponderizing on this week.]


The scripture that I want to start ponderizing is in D&C 123:16-17  You know, brethren, that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves.
        Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.
      It's to remind me to not get frustrated with things that I can't control, and that small actions can guide the "ship" (our journey through this life, mission life, anything) and then after we've done everything, we will see God's hand in our lives.



At the latest district meeting. Elder Wockenfuss is in the back middle.
Elder Ellsworth is the kneeling at the front with the jacket open.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Week 35 - Grateful for Missionaries

Dear Mom,

Thank you so much for all the pictures, and telling me how everyone is doing! It means a lot! When I saw the pic of the whole family together with dad, I had to stop and just stare at that picture for a few minutes. I'll probably put that one on my next planner cover :)

Our last Christmas with Dad. Taken between September and December 2004.
Elder Wockenfuss is next to Dad, holding the big yellow star.

Again, not very much happened this week. It's still hot.... and it's the middle of October.... whaaat?? haha :P

Yesterday, right when I was starting my personal study, I suddenly felt a very deep gratitude to the missionaries who found and baptized you and Dad. They helped make it possible for our family to be together eternally, and they didn't know the troubles and difficulties that our family would go through, but we're still all tied to each other, and always will be, thanks to the decision that those young men made to serve a mission. And because of that decision, I am now here on this mission, finding other souls that accept the gospel, just as you and Dad accepted it.

I did get my October Ties and the music! Thank you so much!! I love it all! I didn't take pics this week, sorry! But I'll send pics of me with the ties next week! :)

I did not feel any earthquake whatsoever up here, so I'm safe :)

I'm glad that you're doing well in school, and that all is well!

So sorry that I don't have more to say, but again, not much is up besides the heat :P

Please continue to write and email when you can! I love hearing from you!

With much love,

Elder Patricio  Pie De Nubes


Elder Wockenfuss and Elder Ellsworth (seated across from him) with Elder Talbot (next to Elder Wockenfuss) and Elder Martinez (next to Ellsworth), enjoying dessert.

Monday, October 5, 2015

Week 34 - Ponderizing on an Amazing Conference

Elder Wockenfuss with the other missionaries in Temecula, at General Conference
Dear Mom and Family,

Conference was truly amazing! I really liked the talk about "ponderizing", and I also enjoyed the one about making our discipleship too complicated. I really liked that one because it relates to something that our mission president tells us about "holding the club too tight." He tells us that it's a golf term, if you hold the golf club too tight, you won't hit the ball as far as you could've. but if you hold the club loosey-goosey and your arms like noodles, you'll send that ball flying right where you want it. He tells us that meaning that if we are too strict, uptight, and overly corrective of ourselves, we're overshooting the mark, and not performing to the best of our ability.

This week has been packed! We had something for each day of the week! P-day, Exchanges, another Exchange, Zone Conference, General Conference, General Conference, Today is P-day, and then tomorrow is Zone Training Meeting! So packed!! haha

It actually rained here this weekend! I was surprised! It was awesome!! :D The temperature went waaaay down, for which we were so grateful!!

Elder Richards loved the postcards!! He talked about it yesterday, and he told me that he was very touched, and that it totally made his day! :)

Yesterday I did an anointing for the first time in spanish, without being helped and it was awesome! I felt accomplished! :D

Also, next week, libraries will be closed on p-day, so I'll be emailing you on Tuesday. But the week after will be back to normal. :)

Other than that, not very much has happened this week. But I really loved conference though! It's always so spiritually uplifting and amazing! :)

Please continue to write and email whenever you can! I love hearing from you!

With much love,

Elder Patrick Wockenfuss