First email from Argentina

Hey Mom I am doing good! It is hard to be away from home, but knowing that Brayden Wise was here and so was Dan Haney, and that Grandpa Morley served in Mexico and his words of motivation in the 9 am present you gave me really helped me! I love and miss you all at home and I am a little homesick, but not bad. It comes in waves, but not badly. The day I got here, I spend the whole day at President Ayres house which is a really nice house for an Argentina house, and even an American house! He and his wife are so awesome! They got a couple kids, a 15 year old boy and an 11 year old boy living with them here and going to school here. I think they have other kids, based off a picture of their family at their house, but I only saw 2 boys there who are really very nice and I like talking to them. President and Sister Ayre are very much like parent figures. I love how accepting they were! And they speak English too! My new companion is from Lima, Peru and is a great trainer. He makes sure I know stuff, he is patient with me and helps me out and doesnt leave me in the dust, and he remembers me and my needs and that I dont know anything. He has been out here for 10 months, but on a mission for 1 year. 2 months was in Lima, Peru waiting for a visa I think. Since he has been out for a year he can explain and translate some things in English but his first language is Spanish. A lot of the things he knows in English are funny. He doesnt say bad words, but he says the word for black people and I had to tell him that in America, you call someone that they dont like it and youre pretty much asking for a fight. He likes Eminem, the rapper, but not so much 50 Cent. He likes the L.A. Dodgers. He has never tried Swedish fish til now, and he really likes them. haha. He says things in English that makes me laugh so hard because he has the accent of a Spanish speaker and its just funny. Anyway, that is about it on my companion. I email at a store on the street side It seems like stuff here was once nice, but there isnt a lot of up keep on things. They drive very crazy down here, lets just say there are not really any rules. You occasionally stop at red lights, buses and motorcycles own the road, they are hard on cars! They have a lot of buses, that of which I ride, and I ride a passenger train too. They squeal tires, even on big buses full of people, you have to hold on and watch your surroundings! I havent been robbed or anything, but I live in a place called Munro, a province in Buenos Aires. It is a ghetto, but I live in a better part but in the day time I am mostly in the bad part of town. My companion tells me to walk here like I know the place and to be careful. The showers here are weird, and the toilets too. I drink a lot of coke because water is bad for me here. The bishop of the ward is so awesome and nice and so is the mission zone leader. Everyone speaks Spanish, so when I see some English word somewhere I count it as a blessing! hahaha. I feel like I am learning a lot more than I think I truly am. They have a McDonalds or 2 here, but I havent ate at one yet. We eat lunch at members houses and its is good food. We dont really eat dinner ever, once a week or twice if were lucky. It is a little hard to get used to having your last meal at 1 pm for the day, but it is all good. There are a lot of people here and it is crowded but Ill get used to it. I love to look at the cards and pictures you gave to me. I try to look at the every night because it strengthens me! I will start to look at them every night now! I love them, thank you so much! I LOVED my birthday stuff soooo much! I know that since I wont catch you online today that you all wish me a Happy Birthday, and I will greatly miss you, and I appreciate it! Sometimes I think it is still unreal to me that I cannot see you guys. I am counting down the days but I need to change my attitude. I know I have a lot to learn here on my mission and I can see how important it is that I serve this mission. I am worried for no reason that for some reason I wont be able to serve my whole mission. I dont know why I worry that, but I was worried I wouldnt make it through the MTC either. I dont know why this is a worry of mine! I forgot to bring my camera to send pics, sorry, but I am doing great other that I miss and love you all Jeff, Suzanne, Cole, Carson, Tyler, and Calli and the neighbors! Coles name is written everywhere on the walls here for the soccer team, so I think I will choose Cole because it is my brothers name! I will take more pics so I can send some next week! I love and miss you all and I pray for you guys ALL of the time and only ask the Lord for your safety and that my mission will bless you all and I dont care about me. I need to have more faith that the Lord will care for you guys. I pray for you and the prayers that you say for me help me sooooo much you dont even know. I am getting better at writing in my journal every night and that is going to be a goal of mine. Life is good and people are nice to me. I stick out here like a sore thumb because Im white and taller than a lot of people but it is all good. It is hard for them to say my name too hahaha. I live on 900 pesos a month. I think that is about 180 U.S. dollars, and things here are expensive. I have to use my drivers license for identity at grocery stores here. one is called Coto and the other store is called Carrefour, just so you know. I kept the receipts and dated them and wrote down stuff. I thought I need to remember on them and underlined some stuff just in case of something bad happening. Anyway, I have just a little culture shock, but not too bad. I am doing great, I love and miss you all, and pray for you! I need to work on being more obedient like wake up bed and study and I need to be more efficient and productive, but I feel like I have a lot to learn so we'll se how things go. It is not that I dont want to be obedient, I have just been slacking even with prayers and scripture reading. I need to get better so we can have miracles and blessings. I have never been good at reading my scriptures here or in the MTC as I did at home, so I need to do better! I will do better, I need to be doing my best so I will pray for more help and for dads job. It actually is comforting to know that dad can be happy again for me. I will pray more for you all and ask the Lord for help with the things I need help with and for you guys to get the Lords help you need. Tell everyone hi and I love them and I love you!

I LOVE YOU! Elder Brady James Wikstrom. Thanks for your love and motivation and prayers, thoughts, and everything you send my way. I dont know how mail here works yet, so that is why you havent got mail from me yet, I will figure out how so I can send you mail.

Elder Jared Espinoza and Elder Brady Wikstrom

He made it to Argentina

Brady flew out of SLC on Sept. 23, 2013. He called me from the SLC aiport and then again in Dallas. We were worried that his calling card minutes would run out, so we called the payphone back and then told him to give his card to another missionary who might need it. It was sooo good to hear his voice, and he was so excited to go.

I waited forever to get word that he was there, but late at night the next day I got an email from the mission home that showed me my smiling son with his mission president!

Elder Brady Wikstrom with President and Sister Ayre in Argentina.

Email #6 Prep day to leave

Hey Mom, I am on for a second not 30 minutes. Today is like my p day kinda. I still have to go to the 6 hour class period and pack, but I can get on email and tell you things. So I am now leaving the MTC at 8:30 a.m. and will be in Salt Lake airport til 12, that is when my flight leaves. I am taking the tracks, I think, to the airport. I dont know how much calling time I will get there. I will be in Dallas from like 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. if everything goes as planned. My plane leaves at 7:30 p.m. from Dallas. I bought a calling card. It says 500 minutes but charges may apply...Ill still keep it though. I will maybe use my change from grandma. I have my shot, they gave me a pediatric one so it only cost like 38 dollars so I have about 37 38 or 39 dollars left over in cash. Today will be a little hectic because its packing day but itll be good, as long as I dont go over weight haha. I think Ill be good! I am excited to leave. Itll be fun and adventurous! I am sure Ill be on another time today also, just wanted to send you this now!
LOVE BRADY

A picture!

I work at a school. Im sitting in a school assembly and I get a picture text. I have a very basic phone and its RARE that I can see anything that is sent as a group text from someone who has a better phone than I have, but while Im sitting there, this picture text comes through and there is a picture of Brady and his companion. I was so happy to see it, and surprised that I even got it considering it was sent as a group text to me and the companions family. I am thankful for whomever the person was that was kind enough to take a pic and text it to me.  It made my whole day!

Birthday and Christmas packages

Since I wasnt sure what mail would be like to Argentina, and because Bradys birthday is soon after he arrives in Argentina I decided to send a birthday and Christmas package to the MTC.

This is what I mailed.

Birthday was a time thing. He opened in while still in the MTC.

The Christmas pkg I had to put together in a night, so this is what I sent to the MTC. I made the sock :)
I also sent some pajama pants and shirt.

Email #5 Hes really going to Argentina! 1 month on his mission

Hey Mom, I love you! Things here are GREAT! I love it and Im excited to leave. The reason why you didnt get any mail is because our branch presidency said we could only write home on pday which is Tuesday and I have been exactly obedient to that, I am proud to say, but I have been wanting to write you like crazy. I will definitely some mail home today! So I got my travel plans...I will be leaving at 7:30 a.m. on Monday morning! I will fly from Salt Lake at like 12:30, and get in Dallas, Texas around 4:00 I think. I will be in Dallas from 4:00 to AROUND 7:30...I CAN CALL THEN. I will leave Dallas at like 7:30 and fly in a Boeing 777 to Argentina and arrive there in Argentina at 7:55 in the morning. I am nervous to fly and for such a long time! But I am so excited to do it. I bought a little Book of Mormon to read on the flight. I can get a phone card with 500 minutes for $5 at the book store here. I can take all 3 suit cases, my carry and my 2 check luggage bags, but they AMERICAN AIRLINES are charging $75 for the second check bag not the 3rd check bag but the second, so I will need to use my card or something to pay a $75 dollar fee. It is actually cheaper by like $15 than all the other airlines like Delta and them. I am so excited. I will be getting my shot on Thursday. Hopefully I have about $100 dollars cash I could use for that shot. I dont plan on having much cash at all by the time we leave, but I will probably be spending a little money at the MTC and maybe Dallas to get a pen or something from that airport just so you know if that is ok with you. It really is a blessing, a miracle of exact obedience that this computer is working. As we understand it here, the system is corrupted that provides service for the MTC. So in the main and here at West are down and there are only like 0 to 3 working computers here at a time. This is my first session of email today. We got up at 5:30-5:45 and got things done, laundry and everything. Its siesta time right now. We are going to Brighams Landing and get a burger and fries! I am so happy for what you and Wrights sent me! I told everyone I have the best friends. I gotta go. I dont need anything like my fitted sheet or anything. I think I will be fine. I dont want to weigh down my suit case, but thank you. THINGS ARE GREAT HERE AND I LOVE AND PRAY FOR YOU GUYS! I HAVE TO GO, I HOPE I CAN CATCH YOU ON TONIGHT AROUND 5:30 to 6:00! HERES SOME PICS. LOVE YOU, GOTTA GO. I can email you on Saturday too fyi...

Elder Brady Wikstrom and Elder Mitch Walker. They are from the same hometown. They saw each other at the MTC.

Elder Jacob Badger, Elder Brady Wikstrom, Elder Briton Hansen, and Elder Dustin Shwendiman.

At the Provo Temple

Elder Zack Brown and Elder Brady Wikstrom at the MTC. They are from the same hometown.

Email #4

Hey mom, got on at 10:36 today so I will be done with the first email session at 11:06. I am sorry but the elders wanted to have a siesta at 11 and so I will write home and write in my journal. I havent yet sent that paper to the hospital is that where i need to send it? Or to you? I havent got my shot yet, I think on Thursday I will, this Thursday. I have had 2 haircuts since I have been here and I have only clipped my nails 2 times. I need to get better at making brushing an every night habit though. I am still loving it here at the MTC West. I think it is better here at the West one than the main one. I remember I had my temple recommend in my wallet and then one day I was like I want to carry my recommend so I took it out of my wallet and brought it with me and forgot all about it and now I am not sure where it is! I will have to go look in all my pants again or something. Hopefully its just in the apartment and I can find it so I can go to the temple tonight! Me and Elder Hansen have been getting along a lot better and by that I mean we talk a lot more and became friends just as well as companions in the mission field. I bought a bubble lined manila envelope so I can send you some real pics. I will be on a gain sometime tonight at the main campus somewhere between 5:30-6:15. I love you so much I hate it that I have to leave right when you get on. I am sorry but I love you mom!

LOVE YOU MOM! I will try to send pics now too!

Elder Brady Wikstrom and Elder Carson Hardy.

The Zone?? or District?? He didnt tell me.

Elder Brady Wikstrom and Elder Travis Maddox

Elder Briton Hansen and Elder Brady Wikstrom

Package #5

I cant believe how often I forgot to take a picture of the packages I mailed. I mailed a bunch of little toy things to be silly with. I think I wrote something about Enjoying the Journey. Brady later sent me a picture of him with the package.

Email #3

Hey mom I am working on sending everyone that has dear eldered me or sent me a package a personal letter from me. I am so sorry I am bad at responding! I am actually having a great time! The Lord has been blessing me and letting me feel that you guys are all going to be ok. The internet or computers here where I am at are all down except for 2 of them and so I will try my hardest to get on at 11 or like 11:05 or something. I will be on twice though for 30 minute periods. Something I have forgot to tell you is that Elder Jeffrey R. Hollands grandson was in my zone, in fact he was a zone leader for a week, but he left like last week and Elder Holland came to tell him bye. I think its weird now that I think about how families shouldnt meet up but anyway its really fine. I got to shake his hand in the small cafeteria we have. I forgot to tell you that last week it happened on a Monday, last Monday! I have joined the choir and love to feel the spirit there. I heard Neal L Andersen speak at the devotional on Tuesday night at the Marriott Center, it was a good talk! I love it here. I am sorry for the negative mail that I have been giving you and all the positive mail you have been giving me and the advice which I am VERY thankful for! I got a blessing and it helped. He said I was worthy in the blessing that I was living a pure life or something about me being pure I am not sure if it was future or present tense. I hope he just didnt say in the blessing that I was worthy based on my first Sunday interview with him. I told him before the blessing you guys were praying for me and that you are aware that I am a worrier and you wish I didnt have problems with worrying or something that you pray for me. I am worried Ill misquote him so I am just  remembering this all from memory. He also felt he should tell me that there was something or some piece of knowledge I would get out of the fast Sunday broadcast missionary conference talk that was broadcast, and I dont really know what it was but I think it was a revelation that I needed to accept Christ's atonement more in my life. I wrote it down but I dont have my notes here. He told me in my blessing I needed to open up my heart to allow the blessings of Christ in my life is what Im getting from it. I guess I am really stubborn and when I feel like I have done something wrong then I believe justice has to take its course and then there cant be mercy to take it away because justice must happen. I am a little stressed about things but the Lord comforts me in prayer. I need more faith with the Lord and the feelings and impression or if its is me being ocd or something you know, and I just really dont want to do anything wrong. He said some cool things in my blessing and it sounds like I am expected to stay out and serve the Lord based on the first Sunday interview and this blessing I got. He blessed me that I would stop worrying so that it would not distract me from my study times and such. I love you so much. FYI I have been printing out pics I take, I will send them home to you if I cant get this figured out. I love the temple and the spirit felt there. I hope we can all go to the Provo one as a family one day. I am excited to serve the Lord and I thank you for all the prayers you have sent my way. President Cameron, who is an awesome guy, told me you guys were praying for me. I think I have overcome homesickness. I mean, I still miss home a lot occasionally when I think about it, but I love it here and am glad I am here and feel this is the right place for me to be! Life here is awesome and I pray it is awesome for you guys too. Oh, and we have been instructed to only write on p days home, but I will send home as much mail as possible. I love you and will talk to you later today hopefully.
I LOVE YOU MOM AND DAD AND COLE AND CARSON AND TYLER and Calli. I am working on notes for the humans in the family today. I will try to send them off tomorrow.

And he sent me a picture of where he studies.

Package #4

Once again, I failed to take a picture. I mailed a BOX FULL OF SUNSHINE. I found a bunch of candy that was packaged in yellow. The candy itself wasnt necessarily yellow. I sent a bunch so he could share with the other elders.