Elder Wockenfuss!

For those of you who don't know. Elder Wockenfuss is an Elder from Toadsuck ARK. He and Jacob became very close friends as he and Jacob came to the Mexico MTC together and were companions. They were also companions together again just a month ago. They are very close. Elder Wockenfuss lost his mother to blood clots in the lungs just this past Friday.  His Father passed 10 years ago to Cancer. He has come home for the funeral and will go back to CA to finish his mission. This is what this letter is referring to. We forget that these are young men and women in the Prime of their life leaving behind everything for what they believe in. They put that belief into action by taking to the world what is most precious to them. Their testimony that the Savior lives. Elder Wockenfuss knows he will see his mother again, because of the atonement. We believe that the Atonement is a sacrafice that not only overcomes sin but overcomes death. She will be ressurected some day. Patrick will see, hug, and be with his Mother and Father again.

Hola Familia,

Yes I knew of what happened the morning of. He called me in the morning and told me. It was a complete blindside, he told me he didn't know what to do. He said President Thomas called him at 6:30 and asked if he could meet with him. So he ended up going to his apartment a few minutes later, excused his companion to the bedroom and then told him of what happened. He said that he was shocked first, he didn't know how to react. Then he just gave President Thomas a huge hug and cried in his shoulder for a couple minutes. President Thomas then asked him whether or not he wished to stay, and Elder Wockenfuss told him that he would. So he's staying to finish. Then after we finished the call I felt impressed to go visit him and just talk for a bit. So later that day we went to Carlsbad and visited him for a bit. I felt that he needed it more than just a phone call or a pat on the back. People and especially members forget that we're real people as well. We're not just these emotionless people that have complete courage to do what we do every single day. We get sad, angry, tired, and sometimes don't want to work. Sometimes we feel that it gets too hard or that nothing is happening. Sometimes and especially when bad things happen is when we need to slow down and just relax. To think about ourselves and how to work through problems. After the visit he told me that he really needed someone to just sit and visit him, talk for a bit and stuff. I don't know if it has fully hit him yet the gravity of the situation because he seemed calm and a little shaken up but not too much. I definitely know that Heavenly Father is helping him right now to be calm and comforted. Us and our Hermanas put together a little package for him quick with a card to give to him and he enjoyed it. So that was a pretty full day, I hope that you can help his family out in anyway that you can. I know that he has a good Bishop and Ward that are helping them in every way possible as well. Also this week we found a new investigator! Her name is Teresa Herrera and she is pretty solid! She was able to come to the Pioneer activity on Saturday and church on Sunday. Hopefully we can help her progress towards a baptismal date on the 13th of August. Also I interviewed one of the sister's investigators and he's getting baptized on Saturday. My comp is getting things pretty quickly, he can already speak some but he needs a lot of work with his reading and understanding completely of each situation. Vista is still good. Pretty hot some days and some days its fine. Yes we probably aren't getting as much exercise as we could with full time bikes but now that we have a bike rack evreythings good and no matter what the situation we'll be able to be home on time no matter when. I haven't changed too much how I do things, I'm pretty much just treating it like he's a normal missionary, just with the extra teaching him stuff. I haven't started my Plan and won't until I'm almost finished. I'm glad that you all are still doing nothing and saving your money for when I get back. jaja But the carne asada jsut depends on what kind of meat you use. Some members use a cheaper kind that they get at the sketchy market down the street but somehow whenever the cook it it's delicious. Also eating it with good rice and beans helps as well. Just ask around from actual hispanics or look up different recipes online. Well that's the report for this week, and now this... 

A frog walks into a bank and says, "I'd like to get a loan."  The banker says, "you can't get a loan, you're a frog!"  The frog says, "Please, I really need a loan."  The banker, Mrs Wack says, "Well I doubt you can get a loan, but what is your name."  The frog says, "My name is Kermit."  The banker says, "You are not Kermit the frog!"   The frog says, "No, not that Kermit.  I'm actually named after the real Kermit the Frog.  My father is Mick Jagger and he married a frog and they had me.  I'm Kermit Jagger."  The banker said, "Oh ok, well my name is Patty."  The banker then says, "Well, if you want a loan you need collateral. What collateral do you have?"  The frog says, "I have this little pink ceramic elephant."  The banker takes the elephant and looks it over.  She says, "What the heck is this?  It's a pink ceramic elephant.  What am I supposed to do with this?"  The frog says, "That's my collateral.  Please, may I have a loan."  The banker says, "Look, I guess I'll talk to my manager, but he's not going to give you a loan."  The banker goes to the manager and says, "I have a frog here who is looking to get a loan.  His name is Kermit Jagger.  His collateral is this pink ceramic elephant.  I don't even know what this pink ceramic elephant is.  What should we tell him."  The bank manager takes the ceramic elephant and looks it over.  He then says... wait for it....

"It's a knick knack Patty Wack, give the frog a loan!"

Les quiero!

Elder Emerick