8-27-2012

Dear family,

 

I'm excited for y'alls trip to Idaho. Is cousin Cole home from his mission yet? I would love to go on a cruise with cousin Dalton! Mother, you're doing it real big on your emailing, Thanks for the news!

 

So President Woodbury called me on Saturday to tell me the situation for this coming transfer: He isn't going to be splitting the area into two, like we thought he was going to do. Instead he called to tell me that I was getting transferred over to Mount Sterling, back to the Lexington North Zone. He wanted to call me to be a district leader for that district (Winchester district) and my new companion will be a new Elder named Elder Downs. He's been out for six weeks now and I will be follow-up training him.

 

I'm sad that I will be leaving this area. I really love this ward, the Louisville 4th ward. There's so much that is going to be happening here very soon. For example, Brother Thorn will be receiving the Melchizedek Priesthood this next week. he's only been baptized three weeks now. Does that tell you how much or how awesome Brother Thorn is? I'll miss the Thorns so much. Elder Allen, former Elder Schofield and I have taught and served many people here and I will miss them. 

 

That's pretty much the news, I'm sad that most of our investigators didn't come to church this Sunday.

 

By the way, did I tell y'all last week that Brother Thorn confirmed the Aaronic Priesthood to Chris Dearing?

 

I love y'all, tell Auntie Debra sorry that I didn't write her this past week while she was staying over there. I didn't get your email before I got off the computer.

 

I'm going to try to send photos... next week I'll tell y'all my direct emailing address.

 

Loves from, Elder Wharton

8-13-12

Dear Family,

Great letter Mother, I actually have some time today to type and read. My preparation days always seem so rushed all the time but Elder Allen and I have a pretty relaxed day today.

 

Well I got some news!!:

I. Chris D. is getting baptized this weekend! I'm super excited for him, and later, I will be able to see him and his family again when they go to the temple to be sealed :) (he's a part member family by the way).

 

II. Elder Allen and I will be splitting up August 28th because President Woodbury wants to divide the area again. So Elder Allen or I will be moving in with the Arcadia Spanish Elders (that means I might get a new address). The reason Edler Allen and I know this is because the Assistants came over to our apartment on Friday to see if the apartment was big enough to house four Elders. They looked at it and said it wouldn't work but I referred them to  the Arcadia Spanish apartment. So I'm really excited for this coming transfer as well.

 

III. This past week has been really good. I feel that we got some great baptisms that are about to start happening soon!

 

This past week, Elder Allen and I, got three baptismal dates, five progressing investigators and 13 new investigators. I'm so pumped! President made a new indicator to report and that is how many people we contact a day. Everyone's goal is to contact 10 people per missionary making 20 people per companionship and 30 for a trio- companionship. That's 140 people a week for us and 210 people for the trio- companionships. I feel that it's working really well! :) Elder Allen and I get referrals all the time.

 

Anyway, I love you guys and tell Sherry good luck and that I love her too.

Loves from, Elder M. Theodore Wharton

August 5, 2012

Dear Fam,

As always, things sound great over there. As for thinking of doing nursing or whatever, I might look into Biosystematics or Bioengineering.

 

I honestly don't hae much time right now because the zone leaders have a unification activity that Edler Allen and I have to drive to that's on the other end of town.

 

I have alot to say but no time. There's been some tune-ups or new rules added by the mission president. The only music that I can listen to now is EFY, Mo tab, Mormon tabernacal chore (most of them, but not some), General conference talks from general authorities and Hymns. Tons of other rules are added too... but I don't mind them. So can you send me the new EFY cd for this past summer? Also can I get the Alex Boyé cd of hymnals? Thanks!

So this week was great!  We gained some great new investigators and have another baptismal date for B; on September the 8th. He's new and we will see him on Wednesday to see his progress. Chris D. is still doing great for August 18Th :).

I love y'all and I will type to y'all next week, I need to type up a sheet for one of out investigators. It's a challenge that we are going to put on her refrigerator it get her to read :). I also have to type to President Woodbury.

Loves from Elder Wharton

Grangerize is a form of art and study.

7-29-12

Dear Family,

Another great week over there, huh? That's perfect :).

On the subject of foods, I miss the tortilla soup. I remember when I was tired of it like Brett but in my last area a lady fed us tortilla soup and it was so good that I missed it! Anyway, on things to cook, I've been trying to think of new things to cook because I've been cooking mexican food almost all the time. Maybe if I could learn how to make the tortilla soup? About a week ago I made my first chili soup, it was great! Most of my mexican foods have rice, garlic, jalapanios and corn tortillas in them. I think my next target is to make this chicken Alfredo mushroom pasta thing that I found on the back of this 'cream of mushroom' can I got. Lately, I've been pretty crazy about sautéing.

 

This past week has been really good, Elder Allen and I only have 10 miles left to drive around, for the rest of the month, so we will be walking and biking till Wednesday. The good news is that we have several new investigators, several progressing investigators and Chris D. moved his baptismal date sooner, to August 18th! I'm excited. Brother Schofield (former Elder Schofield), is probably going to be coming to Kentucky from Utah to Chris' baptism.

I feel like I'm getting tanner from all the sunshine. Elder Allen doesn't tan, nor do I, but the funny thing is our arms and necks are tanning from all the sun. Can someone say that, 'missionary work makes you look better'?

I'm about to start my next journal soon after two more journal entries. I've grangerized my next journal and it looks cool and funny :).

 

Ok I love y'all and I'll talk to y'all next week!

Loves from Elder Wharton

7-15-2012

Dearest Family,

Uncle James sounds epic. I didn't know we had a family cemetery either. All I can say is that he's in a better place now.

 

This week was pretty great, we were looking at the calender with Chris D. figuring out when would be a great day for him to be baptized. he's thinking some time in August. Also a family that Elder Allen and I found from the beginning of our last transfer came to church this past Sunday! I'm super excited for them :). The husband, W., didn't show up but the wife, and two kids came. They came for the first hour only but their little girl said, "This is the first time I wanted to stay in church and now we're leaving." She's so precious. They all liked it and have the best fellowshippers ever, the W. family, and they live right accross the street! They're going to get dunked!

 

So I gave a talk this Sunday on Prayer. I was suposed to go for 15 minutes but I accidently went 20 to 25 minutes. I tried to go as fast as I could for all the material I had! Elder Allen gave his talk last week.

 

Earlier this week we were about to start tracting but we received a phone call from a dude in Provo, Utah; he told us of a referral that he had for us. So we dropped our tracting and went straight to the referral, who was out in the sticks at the edge of our area. It was super awesome for Elder Allen and I because we've both been in the city for our whole mission so far. I think i might send pictures. The referral was a awesome lady that seems pretty interested in the Church.

 

On Saturday, Elder Allen and I tracted in the pouring rain... it was fun :). It rained like cats and dogs and all of our stuff got soaked but it's all good.

 

Also Yesturday has a funny story. Elder Allen picked a street for us to go tract called "Thunder Road" when we were planning for the day. We go and tract the road the first people soew us away rudely, the next door said no and so jokingly i turned to Elder Allen and said, "Terrible choice on road picking." The very next house the guy answers and tells us that he's vary interested in what we have to share because his grandma was about to die but that he was about to head out to the hospital to go see her before she passes on. So we gave him a copy of The Book of Mormon with a bookmark on Alma 40.

When we walked away I turned to Elder Allen, "Great choice on road picking." It's funny but you know that it's super sad for that family right now. We have an appointment with him tomorrow.

 

Anyway, I love y'all!

Elder M.Theodore Wharton

ps- transfers are on the 17th and I don't know if I'm going to be transferred or not. I hope I stay!

On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 11:57 AM, Marcus Wharton

Dear Family,

Thanks for the email. I haven't got to listen to the voice mail because I don't have my library earphones with me. I'm glad you like the mixes. Yes it's been in the triple digits all week last week.

 

I'm going to have to make this a bit short because Elder Allen and I set some important appointments right after library time. I didn't want to take some of my preparation day and my communication to y'all shorter but these are important investigators and they're hard to catch so today would be the best day for them.  I have been trying to teach them together probably since he's been here in the Louisville 4th ward. They're just so busy and they seem pretty solid. The story behind it is awesome:

Elder Allen and I were riding our bikes trying to make our contact 20 people a day thing (outside of tracting). So we came into a neighborhood aimlessly when suddenly a bunch of people started to come out of the house. Turns out that their power went off! So Elder Allen and I were going door to door talking to everyone while tons of kids were running up and down the street. So we find the house of one of the new members that moved in and right after we talked to them we ran into this man.. "W." was pretty interested in the Restoration and since then, he and J/, has been having great fellowship by their new neighbors (the new family that moved into the ward). They haven't been to church yet because they are really busy but they really want to come this Sunday.

Chris D. is also doing well, still hasn't shared a dunk date that he wants yet. We haven't had a lesson with Chad D. this past week since he's been out of town but he still has a dunk date for August 18th. Elder Allen and I also have lots of potential investigators too that have some promise.

 

Anyway, I love all of y'all and I'll talk to y'all next week,

Elder M.Theodore Wharton

6-24-12

Dear Family,

 

Wow, some great fun over there.

 

Great news for this week: Brother and Sister Thorn were asked to share their conversion stories at a mission home fireside yesterday. It was super awesome! Their conversion story is so long I can't type it all right now... maybe I can get them to type it ;p. So they did an awesome job and another investigator there (the purpose of the firesides is to have the converts give the story and others can bear their testimonies so the missionaries can have investigators come hear). The other investigator felt more thrilled to want to get baptized and because of the testimonies of the Thorns, I'm sure that's what sealed the deal.

So I told y'all last time, I think, that Brother Thorn came to teach with us at Chris D. house and he did a great job. Well Chris D. was gone out of town this past week but yesterday night his wife texted us and said that he's ready to take the baptismal lessons over again to get him ready for baptism!! Man, I'm super excited. The Thorns are perfect member missionaries. Currently we have Sister Thorn trying to help us fellowship one of our investigators as well. :)

So about three weeks ago we got a new Ward Mission Leader and he's really good! He's magnifying his calling really well. The Spanish in the ward is starting to grow too (very slowly, but surely). I'm really excited for his ward and my goal before I leave (or at least before Elder Allen leaves) is to have the dividers at the back of the sacrament meeting to open up from getting many people to come to church.

 

Love y'all

Elder Wharton

6-17-12

Hey y'all!

Why is it that every time I email y'all there is always tons of things happening over there? That's crazy, it's like y'all are receiving tons of blessings or I never noticed all the things that happen every week that I've been there. Thanks Mother for all the thick letters and emails that I get every week. They're fun.

So this past week Elder Allen and I have been working pretty hard and our indicators are low! I don't know why this is happening, we are working hard but aren't getting enough solid investigators. We have no baptismal dates, zero investigators at sacrament meeting and one member present lesson... but we did get seven new investigators and a referral. I hope they go somewhere.

That's the work so far right now, the ward is doing vary well, The Thorns are a wonderful asset to the ward. They are a key fellowship for Chris D. (he might get a baptismal date soon) as well as a strong unity for the rest of the ward. Chris D. is the one dude I told you all earlier who was atheist then turned agnostic and now believes there is a God and Believes in The Book of Mormon and has been talking about baptism.

About my new companion, Elder Allen is awesome! I feel a strong companionship unity with him. He is a red head, played several instruments back home, book worm, super funny.

Anyway, i got to go to buy some groceries now... thanks for the package again and the monies too!

6-4-12 Letter to my 7 yr. old niece who wrote me.

Hey Shaylee:

I miss you. I'll see you in two years and you will be really big. I've gotten really big too. I'm 40 lbs heavier than I was my senior year at high school.

Anyway, I love you  and remember to share the gospel with your friends ;P .

Love Uncle Elder Marcus Wharton

6-3-12

Dear family,

Every time I get on here there is a lot that is happening over there. I'm glad everything is going great.

 

I'm happy today that Elder Schofield and I got Uncle and Auntie Thorn baptized and Brandon Caple and Uncle Thorn got the Aaronic Priesthood. I'm super happy for them. I can't wait to go to the Temple for each of them. I'm super excited to go with the Thorns when they get sealed next year for their anniversary.

Elder Schofield is going home and I get a new companion tomorrow (companion #4). No one knows who this Elder is that I'm getting so this will be interesting. The Spanish Elders in my area/district are becoming a trio and the district leader is one of them named Elder Duran. He'll continue to train the Elder he's been with and train this new Elder that is joining them as a trio-ship. Also the other English area in the district is turning into a zebra companionship (meaning that there will be a English missionary and a Spanish missionary in the same area).

My ward is finally going to have a ward mission leader. Ward mission leaders are key; and it's going to be super exciting this coming transfer!!! Another thing is that there is only one ward in the building that I'm at but the mission president wants the new Spanish investigators, within our ward boundaries, to come to our ward... funny thing is that I don't speak Spanish and I don't think this other Elder will know Spanish either. Our new ward mission leader knows Spanish at least (he's Mexican).

A lot of great stuff is happening in the Louisville 4th ward and I can sense some great things happening soon.

 

I love you guys! Elder Wharton

5-20-12

Sounds like everything is going great over there.

 

Everything is going great over here too! Brandon Caple is getting baptized this Saturday! He asked me to confirm him on Sunday. Super excited!

Also Uncle John and Auntie Rita (The Thorns -- the couple that I used to skype ya'll) have been talking about getting baptized. I'm super excited for them! Since they've been coming to church every Sunday and been living the commandments they might get baptized in a week's time instead of the usual three weeks to several months time. We'll probably get the President Woodbury to give them their interviews since their intellect level is so high.

Other than that it's been going great. The temple was wonderful.

 

Love ya'll! Elder Wharton

5-6-12

Dear family,

Man, every time I get on there is something awesome happening as well as a situation such as Kalaya Gaddis getting sick or Ke Ke getting sick a couple of emails ago. I hope they all get better. Sure mother, I already gave them a silent prayer that they will be safe.

This past week was great but a slow one on missionary work. This past week was called Derby week. There's a place next to our ward boundaries called Church Hill Downs, which is a horse track. What's funny is that all the Elders in the district call it the great and spacious building. Nevertheless, the whole district gathered together downtown and we IQ'ed (Inspirational Questioned) several blocks. And man, that definitely went down in my journal. There was so many characters downtown. I was with a Greenie Spanish Elder. He and I found a lady who sacrificed animals (she didn't want to hear what we had to say but when we were leaving the conversation switched to that we both loved web design... ha), we ran into the KFC guy, a inactive member, the tin man and others. It was great! The Spanish Elder even found a solid new investigator. Anyway, I love going downtown to IQ people, but I noticed you don't get to see much progress in it because alot of it turns into referrals.

But I know that, "the Book of Mormon is the instrument that God designed to 'sweep the earth with a flood, to gather out [His] elect' (Moses 7:62)" (President Ezra Taft Benson). I know that when we apply the principles in the Book of Mormon that it improves the quality of life and can help bring knowledge on how to receive everlasting life.

I love ya'll and have fun!

Elder Wharton

 

ps- Yeah lets skype! I don't know the username but I can get either Brother or Sister Thorn to text ya'll the username on Mothers' day. I'll skype ya'll at 4:00pm my time (3:00pm ya'lls time).

4-29-12

Dear Family,

Man, I don't know what to say. Lots of wild things are happening. Thanks for all the up dates!

Wild things are happening in Kentucky as well! Whoop Whoop!!

Elder Schofield and I set three baptismal dates this past week! This hasn't happened since Lexington. We have a total of four investigators with a baptismal date and a couple of progressing investigators. It's sooo awesome! I also got a scripture memorized:

 

   "And now, I, (Elder Wharton), would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen. Wherefore, dispute not because ye see not for ye recieve no witness until after the trail of your faith.

   "For it was by faith that Christ showed himself unto our fathers after he had resien from the dead; and he showed not himself unto them until after they had faith in him. Wherefore, it must needs be that some had faith in him for he showed himself not unto the world.

   "But because of the faith of men he has shown himself unto the world, and glorified the name of the Father, and prepaired a way that thereby others might be partakers of the heavenly gift, that they might have hope for those things which he they have not seen.

   "Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye would but have faith" (Ether 12:6-9).

 

Yeah! I started memorizing that one at the beginning of the week by taping it to the shower wall. I got several memorized now, with a couple of things that need to be buffed out though.

I know that Heavenly Father loves us and I know that the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real. I see it everyday out here in the mission. I'm thankful for the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and I'm greatful to be a missionary for the Lord to expound it to others. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Loves from,

Elder Wharton

 4-22-12

 

Dear family,

Man, lots going on over there. I hope Kenadie gets better.
I bought a birthday present for Brett online and it should get there to ya'll about some time after May 14th (it isn't in stock at the momment).

 

This past week has been great! Elder Schofield and I did two blitzes this past week. The one on Tuesday was super cool. I went with an Elder named Elder Waddell and we biked it up! We went all the way down town even to where we had to turn back because we came up on the Ohio river. There were so many people that we talked to and gave out so much media. Man I love doing the biking missionary work downtown. The only card I had left when we came all the way back for a water break, was one spanish card. But before we came back that first time (it was about 3:00 p.m. and we've been out since 10 o' clock) we saw a girl sittting in her front lawn just a couple of houses away when we decided to head back for water. We talked to her and we were able to come in and talk to her and her brother and set a baptismal date! The rest of the week was great all around but Tuesday's blitz was definantly the best.

I'm not getting transfered and these next six weeks will be Elder Schofield's last; I will be killing off Elder Schofield. Then I will most likly be getting a new companion or the area will turn back into two areas again, with new companion or ect...

One of our investigators came to church this Sunday! It was awesome! She'll have a baptismal date soon. Our other investigator that has a baptismal date for June 2nd didn't come to church though. So it was a well rounded week. I also got alot of Easter mail. It was the best!

Anyway I love ya'll guys!

Elder Wharton

4-12 (names deleted)

So here’s a crazy story that happened this last week on the Tuesday (March 20th, 2012); it was a day of events. In the morning we had a gnarly lesson with an investigator that we have found tracting. In short, it was super Spiritual and he wants to get baptized and have his family come to church too.

 

 Next my companion and I have service at a member’s house and he feeds us china buffet, great right?

 

 Then we go to an appointment that we set with this gentleman that came to church randomly on one Sunday. So we pick up a member to go teach with us and call the gentleman and told him, “We’ll be there in 20 minutes.”
               " Ok, I’ll be here,” he says.
                So we go to his house and we see that his door is wide open and that there is no one inside. Elder Schofield opens the slightly opened screen door and calls in, "Are  you home?”
                “Help me!”
                We walk in and as a side note: There was music, I don’t know if you would call it music, more like Satin music or something, it was weird. When all three of us were in the house we could feel that something wasn’t right, like the Spirit left.
                “Help! Help me!” came the voice again. It was coming from the bathroom.
                So Elder Schofield looks around the corner and notices that it’s our 60 year old investigator, stuck in the tub mostly dressed.  “What do I do?” Mouthed Elder Schofield
  Our member with us was mouthing the words, “We got to get out of here.”
                So Elder Schofield helps him We told him that we would be in the kitchen and that we can’t stay in the bathroom while he is in there. John kept insisting that we stay there while he repeated, “Help me!”
                “No, we’ll be in the kitchen,” when we walked the kitchen I went and turned off the satanic radio that was playing.
                After a few seconds we hear, “Help me!”
                “What John?”
                “Help me!”
                “Help you with what?”
                “My arm.”
              .
                “Help! Help me!”
                “What John?”
                “My shirt.”
                We stayed silent.
                “Help! Help me!”
                “What John?”
                “I need you to help me.”
                By that question all three of us said, “No! No we can’t do that.” So we asked several  questions to see who helps him with his daily needs. It eventually came down to us needing to call the EMS to come. So we step outside to call the EMS and not even five minutes later John is sitting there in his living room all fine and dressed. Weird right?
                It took the EMS 30 minutes to get to this man's house. So while we were waiting for the EMS he kept saying, “Help! Help me!”
                “What’s the matter?”
                “Help!”
                “Okay, the EMS will be here shortly (after 30 minutes ;P).” So by this time we knew this person has to be crazy or he hit his head hard when he fell in the tub.
                The EMS shows up, and starts walking (not running) over. We start explaining the situation ant the EMS guy stops us and says, “We know, we come here a lot.” He walks in and says to the man, “Hey, what is it now?”
                We say, “so can we go now?” the Ems lady says yes.
                After that crazy “hoop la”, we go visit a new convert who tells us she had sinned (deleted)! I it was a sad moment.
                Next, we got home and Elder Schofield sits down and finds a tick on his leg! So he calls the Mission President’s wife and she doesn’t answer. Make it short, Hope he won’t get lime disease. Then, to top it all off, Elder Schofield got a letter from his dear friend so it made it a great night in the end.

 4-1-12

 

Dear Family,

Everything sounds great over there. Did ya'll enjoy conference? Yes, I got the two packages and the card with all the $s in them. Thanks so much! Thanks Tonya for your fabulous-ness! I don't really need any money but thanks! 

The ward here feeds us very well... to the point that I'm getting fat! ha. They don't even sign up to feed us and they manage to feed us every night!

 

So It's going great over here. Elder Schofield and I are having success and a crazy time together. Like this past week we had a awesome experience. Elder Schofield and I are tracting down this neighborhood of a member who invited us for dinner when we come up to these two ladies. We have a discussion of the Restoration with them, while there was chaos going on all around us (their dog was running around licking everyone and the kids where going wild). By the end of our discussion, we taught and committed Crystal to say the closing prayer, Before we left, one lady told us that she was having trouble and a difficult time these past few weeks. She prayed that God would help her and she told us that we were the answer to her prayer. 

Later that evening, after our dinner appointment, we went to teach an in-active member's husband the Restoration. By the end of the lesson the same experience we had earlier happened. The in-active member told us that every time she'd pray on what church she needed to attend that there where missionaries that would arrive at her door. Note that Elder Schofield and I found her and her family a couple days before and didn't know that there was a member living there. In fact, we didn't even have her in our area's records.

 

I loved General Conference this past weekend. I feel like I've received personal revelation that I need to go to BYU, Provo for school. I know that there wasn't much from General Conference, if any, that talked about schooling. I feel also that this was a answer from a prayer that I had before the mission. Anyway, that will just be something to look forward to after my mission. Right now I need to focus on my mission. Besides, everyday has been great, full of laughs, crazy and Spiritual.

 I love ya'll so much!

I'm grateful for the examples and principles that ya'll have taught me over my whole life.

Loves from, Elder Wharton

 3-4-12

Dear Family,
The bad weather didn't hit us. Most of the fun stuff missed us. There isn't anything for us to clean up in our area besides the usual service that we do. But thanks for the prayers.
I'm glad the wedding was fun. Why didn't I get a invite? Not like I was going or anything but still I like letters :).
I hope those boys get better.
Glad the Covington's pond looks great as well that ONE FIN is still alive.
What?! It was Adam's birthday? I guess I'll have to write to him.

This week went super! Ms. Padgett got baptized on the 3rd and got confirmed on the 4th. I sent pictures to Sherry. Elder Hart's bike has been broken for a while and we've been walking every where and it's been amazing seeing all the success we're having from walking instead of biking. We pretty much talk to everyone on the street and since we're not on our bikes we can walk with them and teaching them as they go their way. I'll probably end up doing this instead of biking or driving the rest of my mission, because it works! Thing is Elder Hart has taken his bike into the bike shop four or more times now and they still haven't fixed it or figured out why the chain is skipping. I guess we're were supposed to walk.

i love y'all and i can't wait for that letter y'all sent.
♥ from, Elder Wharton

2-13-12
Dearest family,
Thanks for the email mother. I like pigs too. Speaking of package, I'm going to send the electric blanket back to y'all because it takes up space and I don't have the means necessary to clean it; plus I'm warm enough with the blanket I have. As for the package y'all want to send, I don't know what y'all would put in there besides the peanut butter, lol. I think some more stamps later in the future. I wont be out of stamps for a while anyway.
I hope baby cousin has had a successful heart transplant.

Elder Hart and I are having a lot of success! We have five baptismal dates set for March and we plan on setting three more to add to March today! :)... only two came to church yesterday though... We've been working hard and I'm really starting to get it down. I'd say I'm learning how to use the members well and teach much more better too. Elder Hart and I are unified!
Sad thing about our investigators with baptismal dates though, one of them we can't find and another seems to be avoiding us when we just gained tons of trust with her, she even fed us she trust us so much!
Anyway, I'm just so stoked because I've never had this many baptismal dates set all at once. My first two we're at the beginning of my mission, they both fell through and I don't think I had any more since.
The  church is true, the book is blue and Moroni is always on the ball (literally).

I hope y'all have a good week too!
Loves from, Elder Wharton