After 7 1/2 months in Villa María, Benjamin is now in the capital, Córdoba

Well, 3 weeks later is better than 2 months for more information on Elder Corbett, isn’t it?

During the last week of June, Elder Corbett and his companion had a bit of a trial, something that hasn’t happened very often during his mission: a person publicly insulting them. They had knocked on a door and the woman who answered said she was too busy to talk to them. Then as they walked away a man, probably her husband, pulled up in a truck and asked why they had come to his house. When they tried to explain, he stated to yell and insult them. As the Book of Mormon teaches us, there will always be some opposition in all things.

The first week of July brought a major change for Benjamin and all the other Córdoba missionaries; President Olsen and his wife completed their 3 years of service, and were replaced by President Salas and his wife. They are from Buenos Aires, Argentina and Benjamin indicates that President Salas is “funny and at the same time, a spiritual giant” and that all the missionaries love him already. At that same time the general populace of Argentina was experiencing the opposite emotion, extreme sadness, as the national soccer team was defeated by Germany and thus eliminated from the World Cup. Benjamin wrote that even the dogs looked sad.

During the second week, Benjamin reported that he and his companion, Elder Isla, were asked by the President to give a small workshop in a multi-zone conference on the topic of how to follow the Spirit. He noted that it was “weird” to see so many new missionaries arrive and to realize that he has become one of the “old” missionaries. He also commented that he feels an urgency to work non-stop as he has little time left.

During the last part of the month, Benjamin got very sick with flu-like symptoms. As I mentioned before, they are now experiencing winter with considerable cold, so this may have contributed to his becoming ill. This was the first time that he has been so sick that he was unable to go out and do missionary work for a number of days.

At the beginning of August Elder Corbett and his companion were blessed to baptize a woman, Raquel, whom they had taught for the entire month of July. She is a physician and Benjamin noted that she was one of the most prepared people he has had the privilege of teaching during his entire mission. And then came news that, after having served 7 ½ months in Villa María, he had been transferred to Córdoba, the capital city of the province and that he would have a new companion, Elder Correnti from San Francisco, California. Benjamin is very happy about his new assignment indicating that there are many more members there and that he is now the leader of the largest zone in the mission, located close to the mission home, where President Salas and his family live. And, one of the first things he did was visit the Wal-Mart and purchase peanut butter and grape juice(see photo) something he hasn’t been able to find in the other places he has worked.

[I've almost got you caught up!]

Pictures: Better late than never!

So I'm sure you all have been anxiously awaiting more pictures. I didn't think there were that many, but with the length of time that I have been remiss in my picture-posting duties... it is safe to say that there are plenty for you to enjoy! :)



Ben and some other missionaries participated in a service project back in April. They helped re roof a house of a local woman. Ben said that the house is the oldest in the area.



They helped mix cement.




And did a lot of work for the woman before the winter weather hit!




The chapel in Villa Maria:



Sunday Dinner: Asado

The following is a tour of Ben's Pension:

Ben says that the bathroom they share is the largest he has seen in the mission...

The left bed is Ben's

This is the table they eat at and behind the table is his closet.

Elder Gardner on the phone with the zone.

Elder Kelsey with Kiara, Ariana and Matias

This green concoction is "Locro". I'm not really sure what that is... but it looks like a huge pot of split pea soup! :(

The Baptism of Ana Vives

The Baptism of Matias Franco

New Zone Leaders: 2nd Concillio

The following are pictures from a Baptism, unfortunately I could not find a name of the young man being baptized! Keep up the good work Ben!

The area Ben was serving in is called Lamadrid. He wanted to remind us that he is still in Argentina and did not get transferred to Spain! :)

Outside the pension:

Passageway to the Pension:

Pig Tongue with vinegar! :p Ben is no longer a picky eater... Mom, he better not complain about food again! LOL

Pig-Lechon

Concilio with President and Zone Leaders

Ben's Package face! :)

Ben's group that all entered the MTC at the same time! It should be time for the sisters to be

heading home pretty soon then!

PACKAGE FACE!!!! :) Gotta love Texas being represented in the back!!

This is a pic of Ben with Betty. She owns the pension they live in and he states that she would feed them daily!

After almost 1 1/2 years in Argentina, Ben finally entered an Argentinian Walmart and bought grape juice and Peanut Butter! He was very excited! :)

What a stud... I mean what a professional looking missionary! :) Love you brother!
This was his last day at the church in Villa Maria

The following are pictures of a woman named Raquel at her baptism:

This is her with her son and her daughter:

Ben and Raquel:

Another!

We are almost caught up! Here is Ben's new companion. Elder Correnti from San Francisco, CA. I cannot get over how tall he is. Ben is 6 foot something and this Elder has a whole head on him! Ben states they are great friends and companions and they have a lot in common! Elder Correnti has been in the field only one month less than Ben.

Now here's a game I like to call: Where's Ben... It's similar to Where's Waldo. One, Two, Three, GO!

Did you find him? He is the third head from the left... LOL! An Elder from our stake in Lubbock, Elder Adams (third head from the right), was called to the same exact mission as Ben... In fact, Ben is his zone leader... I think... Or something like that! :) Anywho, his mother sent this pic to us after she "spotted" Ben! LOL! :) I don't believe that he was even supposed to be in this pic! Funny boy!

Well that's it for now! Hopefully I can be more diligent in updating this blog for Ben in the last remaining months! No promises, but I will try!

I am so proud of Ben and all that he has done on his mission and I know that he has much more to do before returning home! He is so dedicated and passionate! He truly was called to serve and is a shining example of what that means! His work will bless many people, as it has already blessed our family so much! Love you brother! I'm so proud of you! Keep up the good work!

I'm back!!!! And with much to tell you about Elder Corbett!

Hello there! Yes, we are still alive and well here in Lubbock, Texas and Elder Corbett is still serving his mission in Argentina. Since it has been two months since my last update, you may have been wondering about us. All I can do is blame it on “those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.”

Well, what I will do is share some of the highlights and there have been plenty. In June Benjamin noted that winter was arriving, with some cold, windy and foggy days and that he loved it. He thinks like his father, it is easier to stay warm than it is to keep cool, especially as a missionary and without air conditioning. During the first week of the month they had a district conference with one of the leaders of the Church from the U.S., Elder Zivik come speak to them. He indicated that they had about 500 in attendance and that he and his companion had 3 of their investigators attend.

The second week of the month was full of interesting experiences. To begin with a member who had just returned from his mission introduced Benjamin and his companion to a couple of his hearing impaired friends This gave Benjamin a chance to learn some sign language as they presented the gospel lessons in Spanish, and their member friend signed. One of the most significant and challenging events during the past two months, perhaps during his entire mission, was that he had to say “adios” to his mission president, President Olsen, and his wife. They completed their 3 year mission and returned to their home in Utah. Benjamin indicated that they had a very spiritual zone conference with them in which the president gave some inspired parting words of advice related to when the missionaries finish their missions.

Also during that same second week the World Cup of soccer started. This is how he described what life was like there in Argentina during this time: “It’s crazy here! It’s on every TV and no one is in the streets [while games are going on.]” He also described how most of the people wore the country’s jersey(he even saw a dog with one on) or had their faces painted with the team’s colors. Once during a game they were invited to eat lunch with a member family and the family didn’t want to turn off the TV. But they did put it on mute and had the missionaries sit with their backs to the TV. Benjamin noted, “That was the biggest temptation of my whole mission!” Knowing how he loves soccer, the 4 weeks of the World Cup must have been pure torture there in soccer crazy Argentina during the most important soccer event in the world, which is only held every 4 years. However, Benjamin kept things in perspective as evidenced by how he closed his letter to the family that week: “We are a team in the Eternal World Cup and together we will win!” He also noted that “Each week I learn more about who I am and my purpose here.”

The third week of June was highlighted by the baptism of Valentino, an 11 year old boy from a member family that, up until a month ago when Elder Corbett and his companion visited them, had not been attending church for a number of years. Many members attended along with 7 investigators. Also during this week they had transfers(they occur every 6 weeks) which resulted in (1) Elder Corbett getting a new companion, Elder Islas from Chile, since Elder Gardner completed his mission and returned home and (2) Elder Michael Adams, from Lubbock, Tx, being transferred into Elder Corbett’s zone.

(To be continued in the very near future!)

I forgot to tell you about Mother`s Day!

I forget to report about the most exciting thing that happened during the past two months. It was the opportunity that we had to speak to Benjamin by phone on Mother`s Day. In case you didn`t know it, or didn`t remember, we are only able to speak with him on Christmas Day and Mother`s Day. And this chance was extra special since all our family was able to be together for it. Benjamin sounded enthusiastic and it was great to hear his voice. He spoke to us a bit in Spanish and his father, the Spanish professor, was impressed with his fluency. And, since Benjamin speaks the Argentine dialect, at times it was hard for his father to understand him. Hasta luego.