Merlo and other Argentinian Stuff

Ben recently sent some pictures of Merlo and his room there:

Elder Corbett says that he is getting used to different foods and treats in Argentina. Some of the treats down there are boiled milk with honey and sugar, alfajores-a huge selection of moon pie-like desserts they sell everywhere, and dulce de leche - its like caramel (he says they use it on everything). He says they eat a lot of pasta down there also.

ALFAJORES:

SUNSET IN ARGENTINA:

Ben says their bathroom is kind of small and the shower doesn't have a ledge so the water runs all over the bathroom and the room they live in. His companion Elder Maw from Utah has made a makeshift water bag ledge to keep the water in.

The Bathroom:


Notice a soccer ball in the room. It is definately Ben's room! :)

Elder Corbett's Room:

A view of the neighborhood:

I don't know if you can see the dog in the bottom of this next picture, but Ben says that there are a lot of dogs roaming around because they don't neuter their pets down there.

Another building and view of the mountains:

Hope you have enjoyed the pictures! Have a good week!

He is now in the mission field!!!!

Well, Elder Corbett has finally arrived in his mission field in Argentina! It took him 36 hours, but he made it. He departed from the MTC at 800am on Wednesday(6th) and spent a couple of hours in the Salt Lake City airport before flying to Dallas, Texas. So close to home but yet so far! After a layover of 7 hours(his flight had a 3 hours delay due to a need to change pilots), he took off at 10:30pm for Argentina. After a 10 hour non-stop flight he landed in Buenos Aires. The Church had arranged for someone to pick up him and take him to one of the mission offices there in the capital to await his connecting flight to Córdoba. While there he studied and had the chance to get his first taste of Argentine cuisine…..at McDonalds. At 5:30pm his plane departed, arriving in Córdoba at 7:30pm. There his mission president, Stephen Olsen, his wife, Sister Olsen, and Elder Corbett’s first companion, Elder Kelton Maw, were waiting to give him a warm greeting and take him to the mission office. There he had his first interview with President Olsen and enjoyed freshly made “empanadas,” a truly typical Argentine dish(bread turnovers filled with meat, chicken, or seafood, and other possible ingredients like potatoes, sliced hard-boiled eggs, raisins, etc.). He said that they were delicious.. The next morning he and his companion took a 5 hour bus ride to their area of labor, Villa de Merlo, located about 125 mile southwest of the city of Córdoba. Elder Corbett told us that it is the smallest area in the entire mission and that it has only been open to missionary work for about a year. I believe he said that there are about 50 members in the branch. Merlo, with a population of about 20,000, is located in the foothills between two mountain ranges. It is a favorite vacation spot for many Argentineans due to its “micro-climate”, i.e. relatively dry with mild temperatures and air with a high concentration of oxygen and no pollution. He is very happy and excited to be able to start his mission there and with such a great companion, Elder Maw. He is from Ogden, Utah and has been out on his mission for 19 months. We look forward to hearing about his labors and will be keeping you posted from time to time.

MTC Pictures and Update:

Ben recently sent home some pictures from his mission. The following are a few we picked out to share:




This was taken his first day of his room. He was the first in the room so he picked the bottom bunk.




Here is Elder Corbett with the three missionaries headed to Lubbock (Spanish Speaking):
Left to Right: Elder Jenkins, Elder Villarreal, and Elder Urry




Elder "Skywalker" Corbett: Preparing to do battle against the forces of evil. J/K. Light Saber Effect is created by placing a certain kind of highlighter placed in front of the camera!



Ben's companions in the MTC, the last 5 weeks: Elder Heap(Chile-Vina Del Mar) and Elder Johnson (California- Arcadia)



This it Elder Ben Corbett and Elder Rich Wilkins standing in front of the Ben "y" Rich Building at the MTC.

Now as a quick update, Ben's departure date to Argentina has been postponed temporarily due to illness. We are unsure when the new departure date will be. Please keep him in your prayers!

Time seems to be flying as Elder Corbett has now reached the 7 week mark meaning that in two weeks, on April 27th, he will be leaving the MTC headed for his mission field in Argentina. These past weeks have seen him staying incredibly busy and making considerable progress with his knowledge of the language and the gospel of Jesus Christ. He has also made some close friends with his companions (he’s now on number three), those in his district(he’s now in his second), and his teachers and leaders.

One very inspiring experience that he has had is working in the referral center at the MTC where they call people who have requested Books of Mormon, Bibles or Church DVDs to confirm their orders. He has had some neat experiences teaching these people and sharing with them his testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

He also noted that the opportunity to listen to the Lord’s living prophet, President Monson, and the other leaders of the Church in General Conference this past week-end was “incredible” and he has shared with his family a number of thoughts that left a lasting impression on him. For example, President Monson’s words of encouragement, that this is not a time of fear, but a time of faith!