I Was In Argentina When the Revelation on the Priesthood Was Announced

http://bwardlehistory.blogspot.com/2013/11/mormon-movie-review-long-awaited-day.html

I heard of the revelation on the priesthood I think on June 2, 1978.  The revelation was announced the day before, and the church did not waste any time in letting the missionaries know of the revelation.   We received a call from our district leader, who was following the chain I am sure, making sure all the missionaries knew of the change as soon as it happened.  Of course this opened to us the possibility of actively proselyting to people of African descent.  However there were not a great deal of people who fit this category in Argentina.  There were a few, and it felt good to treat all people the same.
We attended a zone conference shortly after and during the testimony period another missionary shared an experience.  Shortly after hearing of the revelation and investigator questioned them as he had heard the Church discriminated against people of African descent.  The missionary boldly responded, the Church extends the priesthood to all worthy male members irregardless of race.  It was a great day, a testimony affirming day as we know that prophets still receive revelation for our behalf.

Music (poetry) I like: You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch

Your a mean one Mr. Grinch lyrics by Dr Seuss

You're a mean one, Mister Grinch
You really are a heel,
You're as cuddly as a cactus, you're as charming as an eel, Mister Grinch,

You're a bad banana with a greasy black peel!

You're a monster, Mister Grinch,
Your heart's an empty hole,
Your brain is full of spiders, you've got garlic in your soul, Mister Grinch,

I wouldn't touch you with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole!

You're a vile one, Mister Grinch,
You have termites in your smile,
You have all the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile, Mister Grinch,

Given a choice between the two of you I'd take the ... seasick crocodile!

You nauseate me, Mister Grinch,
With a nauseous super "naus",
You're a crooked dirty jockey and you drive a crooked hoss, Mister Grinch,

You're a three decker sauerkraut and toadstool sandwich, with arsenic sauce!

You're a foul one, Mister Grinch,
You're a nasty wasty skunk,
Your heart is full of unwashed socks, your soul is full of gunk, Mister Grinch,

The three words that describe you are as follows, and I quote, "Stink, Stank, Stunk!"

You're a rotter, Mister Grinch,
You're the king of sinful sots,
Your heart's a dead tomato splotched with moldy purple spots, Mister Grinch,

Your soul is an appalling dump heap overflowing with the most disgraceful assortment of rubbish imaginable, mangled up in tangled up knots!

Music by Albert Hague.  This was sung by Thurl Ravenscroft.  Boris Karloff narrated the story, but he was not a singer.

My Music: Behold the Handmaiden of the Lord: Angel Gabriel and Mary

This is part of the cantata "The Condescension of God" which is a review of the life of Christ through Nephi's vision in the Book of Mormon.

Mary the Lord is with you, thou are highly favored among women for thou shalt conceive in the womb and bring forth a son and call his name Jesus.

But how Lord seeing I know not a man

The power of the Holy Ghost shall over shadow thee and the child shall be called the son of God.
Behold the handmaiden of the Lord, be it unto me according to the word.
He shall be great of of his kingdom there shall be know end and He shall be called the son of the highest.

http://billywardlefamily.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-angel-visits-mary.html
post about this topic with movie

Argentine Mission: Going Home: Trip to the Airport

I stayed up most the night the night previous, and was very glad to have a ride to the airport.  Lucy and Lilly had a friend with a car who agreed to take me. 

Ezeiza International Airport is to the Northwest of Buenos Aires, so it was a good drive.  San Martin, where I was, is to the Southwest of Buenos Aires.  I think Elder Jacobs caught a ride with the Apata family, from Don Torcuato, as they were at the airport as well. 
Elders Lynn, Reed Jacobs, Dennis Lange and I traveled together. 

We flew Aerolineas Argentinas.  We were headed to Peru for a four-day tour on the way home.  I watched the ground as we flew West from Buenos Aires.  It was interesting to watch the lay of the ground below, and how the urban terrain gave way to the rural.  It was my last view of Argentina before I fell asleep.

When President Kennedy was shot.

I was six years old when President Kennedy was assassinated.  I was told what had happened, and understood pretty well.  We had a black and white television, and followed the happenings on this.  Exactly when I heard of the assassination I don’t really remember.  However I must have stayed homesick the day of the funeral, because I remember watching this on television as my mom ironed.  I remember the horse-drawn wagon, and the little boy, John Jr. saluting the casket.  Those things are etched in my mind forever.

Mission Argentina: Area Conference 1978

Hermana Diaz made us empanada sandwiches to eat by the obelisk

President Kimball is in this picture below the stage

One of the highlights of the mission was the visit of President Spencer W. Kimball to Argentina for area conference.  The conference included three sessions that I attended.  Most of the conference was in Luna Park, the large in-door stadium in Buenos Aires.  On Saturday night their was a cultural event portrayed.  This included a reenactment of many scenes from the Book of Mormon.  The visit of Christ was done very effectively.  They had Jesus descend from the top of the arena coming down the steps with the light on Him in such a way that it was very effective.  The show was very well done.  I know Hermana Duarte sang in the choir for conference, as I saw her.  Also many other local members participated.
The large conference meeting was very interesting.  For most of the speakers there were translators.  However Elder Faust did not use translation.  He had served his mission in Portugal.  I remember his mispronunciation of the work Gaucho when he told a story.  Elder Wells has a very deep voice.  He was the area seventy in Argentina at the time.  He talked of the importance of living so as to be worthy of a temple recommend.  It was a very fun conference.  At the time there was a temple in Sao Paulo in Brazil, and many members were hoping for one in Argentina as well.  However this was not announced at this time.  President Kimball talked about the importance of doing things in God's way.
We had at least one meal there.  Elder Steed and I ate milanesa sandwiches sitting at the base of the obelisk.

A letter I wrote home describes my experience of these events:

President Kimball visited Argentina this last Saturday and Sunday for the second area conference in Buenos Aires.  Mormons from all over Argentina came to participate in the two day event.  It started Saturday with a cultural program in Luna Park, probably the biggest indoor stadium in Argentina.  My companion and I went with the parents and grandparents of a girl here in San Miguel.  Her parents etc are not members.  We went in car and arrived rapidly, 45 minutes while in bus and train it take an hour and a half.
The cultural program was something really special.  President Kimball was in attendance while youth of Buenos Aires acted through the Book of Mormon with scenes of Joseph Smith, Lehi and Nephi, conversion of Alma the Younger, Abinadi before King Noah, the 2000 sons of Helaman, the robe of Mormon, the visit of Jesus and the blessing of the children, and the destruction of the Nephites, ending with the challenge of the Book of Mormon and depositing of the plates in the Hill Cumorah.
Then Sunday we went with a couple of person we baptized the other week to participate in the meetings.  There were three meetings Sunday.  The General Authorities who came were: President Kimball, Elder Packer, Elder Hinckley, Elder Faust and Elder Wells.  The first meeting was at 10 and we arrived a bit late to get good seats but the same we enjoyed the meeting.
At 2 we had the Priesthood Meeting while the ladies had their own meeting.  It was really something special.  There was a special spirit while we listened to the prophet and Elder Pack and Elder Wells explain several gospel subjects.
After this there was a special meeting for the missionaries in which all the general authorities talked which we found good seats and waited for the last general session.  There were more than 11,000 people present, member and investigators.  Only the apostles and presidency spoke in this meeting.   The time went too fast and the prophet was on his way to Brazil to dedicate the first temple in South America.

Hunter's Safety Course

It was when I was 13 that I took the hunter's safety course in Hyrum, Utah.  It was a requirement to be able to carry a gun for the annual deer hunt at the age of 14.  I took the course with Weldon, who would actually be able to carry a gun if he passed the course.  We attended the training in the Hyrum Elite Hall.  There is a classroom upstairs above the restrooms and as part of the balcony. 

They spent many days drilling into our brains that carrying a gun was a serious thing, and  you always had to treat every gun as if it were loaded.  Better safe than sorry.  We had to pass a written test to demonstrate that we really new how to handle a gun.  The next part of the test was the hands on shooting part of the test.  I passed, while Weldon got confused and was shooting at the wrong target.  It took him some talking, but the instructor finally allowed him the shots that were at the wrong target, and he passed.  With this we were also awarded the merit badge for rifle shooting.

The Night Before Leaving Argentina

The day before leaving Argentina our companions left us at the mission home as they prepared for transfers, and we spent the day with the mission president.  He served us dinner, and we turned in our final write up and talked about future plans.  We  were dismissed about eight o'clock to go and get our stuff, and then be back to the airport the next day.  This was really strange because we did not have companions.  I jumped on a bus and asked for two tickets before I realized what I was doing.  Riding the bus back was crowded but lonely at the same time. 

Corsi Family, Rosa and Ricardo kids Lucy, Lilly, Ita, Ricky, Teresita

No rule against holding babies

Getting back to San Miguel there were many people I had promised last night goodbyes.  This including the Barrientos who served me empanadas dulces, or empanandas with sweet jam inside.  I also visited the Corsi family who had an evening of tricks for me.  Lucy gave me a big sucker which I never ate, but brought home and placed with my mementos until it became ruined.  I also visited the Diaz family, but after everyone was asleep.  I ran into my old companion as they were out working, and gave them a last goodbye as well. 

getting a little sleep

The Diaz Family

Halloween: After my Mission 1980?

This is a family Halloween activity a couple years after my mission.  Jed was born while I was in Argentina, but Aaron and Dustin are also in the pictures. 

Me, Aaron, Jed, Krista, Dustin

Pumpkin carving with the Buffs

My Eagle Scout Project

When I received my Eagle, there was a rush to hurry us through because the standard was changing from 21 merit badges to 25.  It prompted leaders and boys alike to hurry and finish their eagle award before the end of the year. 
Looking back, I think maybe my eagle project was not what they were looking for, but nobody said anything, and it was approved by our local leadership, as well as the Scout Council.  I made cookies and treats to deliver to all the widows in our ward.  It was fun, and it provided the necessary leadership as well as the hours they were looking for.  The Bishop gave me the list of those to whom to make deliveries.

We hadn't had an Eagle in our ward for some time, but after I achieved the rank there was a flood of boys after me.

Release Paperwork from my Mission

Brother and Sister Wardle,
It is with great reluctance that I forward the release of your son, Elder James William Wardle, from the Argentina Buenos Aires North Mission.  He will be missed by all who were blessed with his companionship.  He served honorably and well.  You can take great pride in the many accomplishments he achieved while serving here.
If there is one phrase that might exemplify your son, I would think that phrase would have to something like, "actions speak louder than words".  He has consistently performed at a very high level in the mission field.  He has a true sense of purpose of those things which are important and does them with singleness of mind.  He has been an outstanding missionary and I am personally very sorry to see him leave.  WE shall miss him and his strong spirit.
I thank you very much for having made it possible for him to have had this incomparable experience of serving the Lord through service to the Argentine people.  He will always remember his mission
Warmest person regards, Joseph L. Bishop Mission President.