Week 24 - Transfers, New Apartment & Flat Tires

Dear Mom and family,

My week has been good! My weekend has been slightly hectic though. several days ago, the AP's called Elder Jensen and I and told us that we're going to be moving into a different apartment, so we would at some point have to pack up everything and move. Saturday night Transfer calls came, and I am getting transferred! I was surprised by that! I thought I was going to stay another transfer with Elder Jensen, but oh well, the Lord needs me else where now, and I am super excited! Elder Jensen says that I made a new record in packing. The night we got the call, I had packed almost everything I had (minus hygiene stuff and bedding) into my suitcases in about half an hour haha. and then yesterday, the AP's talked to us again and told us to move in to our new apartment today! So we've spent the morning getting all our personal things together in a car and moving it over. But it's been pretty good though! :)

With that aside, things are going well! We haven't picked up anyone new for us to teach this week, but it's been good finding the people that we ran into this week. We came across a women who wasn't a member who knew very much about the Book of Mormon. She told us about King Benjamin and King Mosiah and the things that they did. She told us that she wanted to go to church and to be taught by the missionaries, so we gave her the address for our nearest chapel, and sent her as a referral to english Elders nearby. Even though we didn't pick her up as an investigator, another companionship is picking her up. So that's still good for me! :)

Thank you so much for writing even throughout all the trials your having! I love you all so much!

WIth much love,

Elder Patrick Wockenfuss

[A message to Buddy]

the other day, Elder Jensen had 3 flat tires on his bike, all in one day. It was rough haha and we couldn't get it fixed yesterday, so we just walked and used the bus to get around. Since we were walking around, we were running late for dinner, so tried to find a short cut, and decided to go through the woods. It was quite the adventure! And by doing so, we basically walked right through Hobo Central. There are so many homeless people that live in those woods! It's crazy! haha but we were safe though :) and we finally made it to dinner!

Week 23 - New Investigators & a Missionary Birthday Wish

My Dear Family,

Thanks for taking care of my mess back home! haha And thanks for the pictures! I always love to see how home is doing :)

This past weekend was pretty wet. It rained almost all day on Saturday and Sunday, so needless to say, I was soaked haha but this past week we found 5 new investigators! That's the most we've found in a single week here in this area! :D Some of them had questions about what we believed and why there are so many churches around today, so we sat down with them and helped them to understand the Great Apostasy and the need for a restoration, and it made sense to them! :D

What have you been learning about this week? How has God been in your life this week?

I've been trying to think throughout the week about what I want for my birthday, and I thought of a few things, but at one point, I thought about something that I feel like I definitely want: In the month of August, I want the members of the Morrilton Ward (and any other member that hears about this email) to (1) share the gospel with at least 3 people, and invite them to take lessons from the missionaries, and (2) to go out with the missionaries at least once or twice in the month. Not just necessarily just for any particular lesson they have planned. But even going with them when they're trying to find new people out on the street, or door-to-door, or with anything else that they do to help and find people to come closer to Christ. and then (3) I want to hear about your missionary experiences you all have sharing the gospel, and being with the missionaries. This is my birthday wish.

If anyone is scared, or don't know how to share the gospel with someone they're thinking about, ask the missionaries for help. They are more than willing to help you share the gospel with friends.

I was studying in Preach my Gospel this past week, and I read that missionary work is a responsibility of the members as well. When we are baptized, we are essentially signing up for a life time of missionary work. We want to become like Christ, and He was the ultimate missionary!

By sharing the gospel, and being a missionary in our everyday lives, it brings us more happiness, helps us to feel the spirit even more in our lives, and will bring us great joy in the eternities.

Thank you for everything! (and the bacon jerky! it was delicious!)

Please continue to write and email when you can!

With much love,

Elder Patrick Wockenfuss 

Week 22 - Awesome Tie, Birthday Wishes, and a 7-Year-Old Revelation

My Dear Family,

Thank you so much for the emails you send! They always make me happy! As you can see from the ecstatic face gushing happiness and joy in the picture below, I *LOVE* the tie you sent me!!

I haven't had the chance to use the postcards yet, but I plan on it today! :) As for my birthday....I can't think of too terribly much at the moment. Being a missionary and all, I've been a bit busy, and haven't had the time to think too much on what I want for my birthday. But something that I know that I would like is a flip open Spanish-English electronic translator dictionary thing. I've seen a few missionaries with one, and I think it would make learning different words and conjugations a little easier. I think it's a merrium-webster brand that I've seen missionaries with, but I'm not sure. I just know that it flips open and has a keyboard. I'm not sure what else I want right now. But if I think of anything, I'll let you know :)

Elder Jensen and I had to miss church and basically all of life yesterday because he got sick Saturday afternoon, and had a fever of 103... I don't think I've ever wanted to get out of the house so badly before! It was so boring! But I tried to help Elder Jensen out as best I could, and he's getting better now! so that always good! :)

So this was super cool! the other day, I was studying PMG, and out of my old quad from seminary, and I came across a scripture in 2 Peter 1:4-8 and I had a note written next to the verses which said "could help for mission." My mind was blown! I basically received revelation for myself 7 years for my mission now! It talks about different attributes to add upon, and that if you have these things, you will not be unfruitful or barren in the knowledge of Christ.

So I thought that was super cool!

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

With much love,

Elder Patrick Wockenfuss



[The letter to Buddy:]

This week, Elder Jensen and I were a couple of boogerheads. We live with another set of missionaries who are Zone Leaders for another Zone, and one day this week after they had left, Elder Jensen and I went and put their beds up on the roof of the kitchen area in our apartment hehehe XD See picture below for the wonderful rotten boogerheadedness

And then later on, we came back and found our beds all messed up too hahah (see other picture with blue frame)

So that was an adventure, but so much fun! They actually haven't moved their beds yet. They just sleep up there now haha and Elder Jensen and I have moved our mattresses down in the living room too next to the couch. Unorthodox, but very me! :P

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

With much love,

Elder Patrick Wockenfuss


[And a quick note to Mary:]

One super awesome thing that happened is that we were out exploring our area, and talking to people. and we came across this man who was a construction worker for the Tijuana temple that just recently got finished, and he was telling us just how beautiful the temples are, and he told that someone had given him a Book of Mormon, and he wants to learn more about temples and the Book of Mormon! So we're gonna go by and teach him! so super excited! :D

Elder Wockenfuss in his "snazzy suit."
"A lot of people really like that suit too!"

Week 21 - Finding Truth and Studying Jesus Christ

My Dear Family,

Thank you for this email, mom. It definitely made me feel good! I don't tell you the bad days, because obviously I don't want to focus on them. But somehow you always know when I've had rough days and you all email me something that makes me realize that it's not anything wrong with me, or it helps me to see that it really wasn't too rough, because I made it though. So thank you so much!

Our Investigator Pedro is doing well! I believe we've met with him twice this week, and he told us that he was really wanting to know truth, and he believes that he can find it in the Book of Mormon. Everything that we've taught him makes sense to him, and he's hungering to know more. We're looking forward to the future with him!

Another couple that we are teaching want to get baptized, but they are not married, and they say that there's an issue that's preventing them from getting married, but they haven't told us what that is. So I'm not quite sure what to do, but with prayer, the spirit, and faith, and work, it'll all work out.

I'm not sure if I had told you, but for this transfer, our district is studying about Jesus Christ every Monday in our personal studies. So far, it's been really good! Today, we read/studied hymns about Jesus Christ. There are so many! I, of course studied "I know that my redeemer lives", "A poor wayfaring man of grief", and "I stand all amazed", all of which are amazing! But one that I really haven't taken much note of before is "Abide with me" (hymn 166). When I read this, I thought of it as a testimony and prayer. We know this world is getting crazy, but we have and even greater knowledge that because of the Atonement of Christ, He knows what we have suffered and what we will go through. And because of this, He can comfort us, and lead us safely through the deepening darkness in the world. And through constant prayer, faith, and relying upon Him (as the singer of this hymn), We can make it through.

On Independence Day, we actually had to be in a little early, because of partying and drunk people and whatever else, so to celebrate the holiday, we had a bunch of snacks to munch on, and watched a tiny bit of fireworks from the window :)

Thank you so much for all the pictures! They mean a lot to me!

Please continue to write and email when you can! It means a lot!

With much love,

Elder Patrick Wockenfuss

PS Did Katie get the birthday letter I sent her yet?