Sunday, December 14, 2014

Dec 8, 2014 We Have Bikes! Lots of Pictures and Stories

Hello!
Well we had an interesting week!
Monday. We went and got bikes from other elders in the Zone. We had a member drive us to go pick them up!
Tuesday we went to get the bikes fixed up. And the men that were fixing our doors brought them back and so we have new doors! Then we got the bikes out to start riding and right outside the pension the chain snapped!!! So we took them back up (3 flights of stairs) and got on the bus! Haha. Then I got my hair cut....wow that was an experience. I just needed to get my hair cut and I didn’t want to go to a place to buy. So we went to the house of a member. Me, my comp. and 2 Hermana’s trying to figure out the way to cut my hair. I could have done it if it wasn’t my head, and each of them didn’t know what they were doing and were too embarrassed to even try haha! And the 2 Hermana’s are both recent converts and so they didn’t know like if they were allowed to touch my head or my hair. Haha! That night we had ward council. The ward is kind of lost. They put a new relief society pres. and young women’s. So I’m excited to work with them and to be able to help them get started.

Thursday they introduced us to the He is a Gift! It is so awesome and I am really liking it! =D we are talking to everyone about it! Nothing better than sharing my testimony about the Lord! =D we also had divisiones. I was with the zone leaders. And he is from Australia! It was super fun and I learned a lot! =D in Spanish he talks like normal. But then he started speaking in English and his Australian accent came out. It was so funny! Haha!

On Saturday we started using bikes! And it was sooooo hot that day! I was so tired and sore! Butt hurt. Haha! A lot of our area is dirt roads. And so it was kind of hard. And the bikes aren’t that nice. But we survived and they actually help! On Sunday it rained and so we were riding around in the mud all day! It was only kind of fun because I felt sick! But I’m already better :) We are still looking for new investigators. The people here don’t want to commit to anything! So we are in this looking searching and searching!

Love you all! Have a great week!


We haven’t set anything up for Christmas. But the elder’s quorum pres said that we could go to his house. He has an iPad and iPhone and comp with camera. And so we can do it 24 25 26. It depends on what works well for you guys. I’ll talk with my comp and see what he wants to do!


We now have bikes! 
A ward activity that only 3 families went. =D ....... 
 Elder Oillataguerre from Austrilia
 Christmas in Argentina!!

we bought a lot of coke! =D  
 When my comp had to go to the dentist and then didnt end up doing anything. 


 Divisiones with Elder Dasilva from Cancun. 

 Thanksgiving with the Cocco Family
 Arroz Choufa with Peruvians! 

 My brazilian comp! 
 It rained a ton!!!!


  My brazilian comp! 

Dec 1, 2014 Happy Thanksgiving!

Hey! Happy thanksgiving!
Well now we start December. 17 months since i have been a missionary and servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are working here in Tortuguitas.

Well let’s see. On Tuesday it was kind of a crazy day. My comp thought that he needed to get his wisdom teeth out and so we went to the dentist and set it all up. When he got there he was going to just take out the top on because it was hurting him. Then when he got there the top 2 on bottom were hurting him. But the 2 on bottom were going to cost a lot more because with those he would need surgery. So he called the mission President and told us that one of the couple missionaries is a dentist. He asked that we take X rays and that we take them to him. So we took the x rays and we take them to the mission office. Now the dentist that we were at told us that we needed to take them out. But when we talked to the dentist in the mission he said that they didn’t need to come out and that he should be fine for the rest of his mission. But the x rays are pretty crazy! His teeth are literally sideways!!! Haha! But he said there shouldn’t be problems and the other dentist just wanted the money. So we wasted ALL day traveling and talking to dentists. I had fun because im still thinking about becoming a dentist and i got to ask a couple questions- Here in Argentina schooling is free. But i realized that if i did my schooling here i would just have to go back to the US and retake everything to be able to work in the US. And even if i have to pay, the schooling will be better in the US. But anyways that’s what we did on Tuesday. Wednesday we did divisions with Elder DaSilva and Elder Erickson. Elder Da Silva is from Cancun Mexico. And speaks fluent English. So it was fun talking to him and goofing around and stuff. Then on Thursday was thanksgiving! Our elder’s quorum president invited us to lunch. They made asado with meat, chicken and chorizo, with Potatoes and gravy, and carrots, and salad. It wasn’t very traditional. But it was okay :) they didn’t even have rolls!!! Haha! It was still good. Then we went to work and we got told by a member in a different ward to pass by his sister’s house that lives in our ward. We passed by and they explained something that is happening in their family that is kind of sad. The son in law was killed and they are looking for the body. And then for some reason the son is now threatening to kill the mom......... they had an undercover cop over there. It was a strange situation. But the night ended fine. We had Arroz Choafa and it was super good!!! =D

On Saturday it started raining really bad! It was flooded everywhere and we were like swimming through water and mud! It was horrible! I got out my waterproof boots and they filled up with water from above and the water stayed inside and made them really heavy. Haha! It was interesting day. And then it kept raining all Sunday and so no one made it to church! It was the lowest attendance we have had since I’ve been here! Horrible! but a less active came to church and we were talking to her about the temple and she got all excited about going and talked to the bishop about getting a temple recommend and everything! It brought me so much peace when i was teaching her that, that i was actually helping someone and if she makes it to the temple to do the work for her family than that would be just so many people that i helped by helping her get to church! =D I love the temple and the blessings that it gives to us!


So here in Tortuguitas we haven’t been having a lot of success. And i feel like we need to work with the members to help them understand the importance of missionary work! We are going to help them make a ward mission plan and to help the families make family mission plans. In the ward mission plan is a plan of what the ward is going to do in a certain amount of time. Like baptisms, activities, reactivations, family home evening, temple trips. And they are specific goals with specific dates. And we are applying this with the family to help them work harder in missionary work! The Bishop is really fun and is really great! We had a member come home from his mission in Peru! Should be a lot of fun to talk to him! Love you all! I’m grateful for you all and sorry there aren’t pictures. The computer isn’t working right. But I took a lot haha! Love you bye!

Nov 24, 2014 Stayed in Tortuguitas new companion Elder Santos

Hola!
Well this was a pretty awesome week! My comp is Elder Santos from Brasil! He is awesome! It’s been great getting to know him and to work with him and I know that we will have a lot of success here! What I love about him is his diligence! He is a very hard worker and has a lot of Love for the Lord! What we have been doing is passing by the houses of the less actives and the recent converts looking for new people to teach! We have found a couple but we haven’t found anyone that is going to progress! I have the Idea of really helping the Ward and I know that if we do that we will be able to find people to baptize! In our mission we have the Goal to baptize 2000 people in the year 2014. And we are really close to this goal! President has the vision that if we baptize 2 people in every companionship we will reach our goal! So I need to do my part to help and achieve this great vision! It made me think that 2014 is the year of my mission. Every missionary is in the mission for one complete year. And parts of 2 years. For example. I was in the mission for half of 2013. And I will be in the mission for half of 2015. But 2014 is MY year!! So I have a lot of desires to reach our goal! So we will see what happens!
On Sunday we had the primary program! It was fun to see it. The kids were so excited and happy to be singing and stuff!
I really like my new camera. Its small and so it fits in my pocket and it’s simple. Does the things I need it too... like take pictures haha!

Last night we met a sister from church that is from Peru. She has been in Peru for the last 4 months and got back this week. So we went and talked to her! They shared with us candy from Peru. And a soda that is so good! Called Inca Kola! And then they gave us key chains and they invited us to eat Peruvian food in this week! I’m excited they are really cool! Best part is there is a 9 year old granddaughter that isn’t baptized yet! =D so we are going to be working with them! Im really excited to be with my comp. I know that we are going to do great things here in Tortuguitas! Thank you for all you do! And i hope that everyone has a great Thanksgiving! Our Elders Quorum President lived in Arizona and so they are going to prepare a chicken thanksgiving dinner haha! Should be good! I just wanted to say how thankful I am for all of you and all that you have done for me! And I invite you all to think about the things that we have and where they come from and to give thanks to him that gives us everything that we have! =D Love ya!

Elder Santos! Brazilian in a Argentina jersey! Apostasy!! 





Nov 17, 2014 Elder Christofferson Conference, Karaoke, Working Out

Hi! What’s up!


Well... It’s hot here! Im always thirsty. Well sorry. I didn’t see the time. Well things are going good! I am here again in Tortuguitas. I will be here for thanksgiving and Christmas! Whoo! My comp is Elder Santos from Brazil! Pretty cool! He has 1 year in the mission and is pretty awesome! We are excited to start working here and to baptize in Tortuguitas because there is a reason that the Lord kept me here! Well there isn’t much time left but i had a good week. And im doing well. We are going to be moving soon and on Saturday we got to listen to Elder Christofferson! It was really great! Love you bye!

Pictures of our karaoke activity. The youth did a dance! it was really cool and made me think about my old dancing days. It was a fun activity.






Living Young and wild and free! Look what plant we found! someone told us it was ilegal to have...so we burned the evidence!! ;) haha but really one of our investigators tells us... thats my brothers plant and then i realized what it was. haha! I had to take a picture!  

 A member showing us the bird that she found that was wounded and are helping it learn to fly.
This is how i have to do exercise! because weights cost too much to buy and are a pain to carry around at transfers. 
Service activity. one kid is a member and the others are friends. one of them said they would go to church and so we are going to invite him to be baptized and invite his family also! Finding through serving!!! 

 Investigators playing around. Its getting hot here and so everyone is getting out their pools! The kid is the uncle of the little girl. and he threw her in the water ahahah! on friday we had the opportunity to listen to Elder D Todd Christofferson! It was a great experience. He served his mission in Argentina 50 years ago and then he has served alot in Mexico. so he speaks really good spanish. =D 






Nov 10, 2014 Christmas Surprise!

Hey!
Well this week went by sooooo fast! Things are going good. We are still looking for new investigators and a new apartment. We went to look for new apartment and we found one that we really like.  It’s close to the church and its got a cool roof that we can access! It’s right next to the train. Perfect. So we will see if we will be moving this week or no. I hope so because I like the new apartment and we have transfers the next week and I might be going. I think i will be going. But we will see! Haha.

We have found a lot of new people that want to hear the good tidings of the restored gospel! But unfortunately (like everyone) they have trouble getting to church! On Wednesday we held a ward activity! It was a karaoke night! It was really fun! A lot of members went! But even better a lot of youth went so the bishop was very content with the activity. We also are getting really excited about family history here! We started having meetings to talk about the family history and how we are going to do it with missionary work! It’s really cool! Makes me happy that a lot of my family history is done and so I can show people what its like and all that stuff!

Other than that there isn’t really much to report. The people we are finding aren’t really progressing. And so we keep looking! Keep working! But as for me I am doing great! Oh cool news! On Friday an apostle and 70 are going to come and speak to the mission! Super exciting! We don’t know which it is going to be but they are coming! And next week is transfers! Hopefully the Lord sends me to Capital! I hope so but we will see. I am willing to go where he wants me and work where he wants me! Love you all and hope everything is well!

<3

So dad was opening the mail on Friday and he hand this to me. It was a check from Wells Fargo to me. Apparently they were charging me for a program that I hadn't signed up for so they reimbursed me. So I put it into your Bank of America account to pay it of and so you can buy a new camera. The money won't be available for a few days because they put a hold on it. So look for a camera this week and hopefully you'll be able to get it next week. The Lord blesses us in so many ways!!  What is the chance of this happening?  Merry early Christmas!!


Tortuguitas Nov 3 & 7, 2014 New Apartment Short and Sweet

The first today! We came to Pilar to write and play soccer! We always take the train here! The other was a couple days back we were watching the Jose Smith movie at night before going to bed! There isn’t a whole lot of church movies we can watch but its still fun to watch them! I sent these so you can see my comp. But don’t put them on the blog. We both look really disgusting! Haha! This week I’ll send a better one to put on the blog!


Well things are going good here! Unfortunately our little family didn’t make it to church! So we are looking for new people to work with! People who are willing to go to church! This has been a crazy week! It has been Raining non stop! All week long! There are like rivers everywhere. Especially right in front of our apartment! Good things I bought my boots! They help so much!!!!!! But other than that there isn’t a whole lot going on! Wed we are going to do a karaoke night at church to invite new people to come and participate! And yesterday there was a ward baptism! An 8 year old girl got baptized by her dad. But I am doing well! Love you guys and sorry it’s short today but at least I got photos sent! Have a great week!

The bishop Soria. and ward mision leader Bro. Retamar 
Baptism of Zoe Carballo (ward baptism) 
 So on Thurs, Nov 7th I received some random pictures from Connor while I was at work.  I was very surprised but didn't complain.  They are pictures of a new apartment that Connor was making arrangements to move into.  It will take a few weeks to get all of the details worked out, but he excited because the apartment he is in currently is very small, has a terrible kitchen and bath and he is living out of his suitcases because they don't even have closets.