June 27, 2011  Salta  Argentina

Hello!

It has been so cold here! I really don't know how cold but no ice or snow yet. It's really close to it though. I am using two sweatshirts and my big coat, a scarf I found in the apartment, gloves and headband! The cold really affected the number of people at church! They missed out though. There was one of the members of the stake presidency there and he gave a really good talk. One of the stories was (in my own translation - ha ha - don't know if it's exact but it gets the point across):

One day a father decided to take his son, who was always asking for things, out to a poor farm in the country, far away from their house. After spending a day out there on the farm and seeing how life was, they came home and the father asked his son what he learned about the rich and poor. His son started off saying that he learned alot! He said, "We have one dog and they have 10! We have a garden and they have a whole farm and fields! We get our milk from the fridge and they have a herd of cows! They go to the creek whenever they want to go fishing, and we have to wait for you to get vacation to go." The father then realized that he was just taught a much needed lesson. Sometimes we need to slow down and think of the important things in life. 

It was a really good story and I thought I would share it. Who knows - it may have been traveling around the different churches throughout the world but it was the first time I heard it.

This week we helped a family move a bunch of bricks back around to the other side of their house to start their second story (on the house). The father is the most interested in the church and is a very talented tile worker! He showed us a magazine with very expensive homes which he did the floors in. He is a go getter! He has to go to Buenos Aires for the week to get a checkup on his kidney transplant but he wants to get baptized when he gets back! 

We just found a family of about 9 people who listened to us, and the parents and one of the nephews are very interested and are set on coming to church this Sunday! They had the missionaries in their home about 20 years ago and loved the Book of Mormon but never got baptized. The mother was going to if she could see a baptism, but who knows. They have a ton of babies in their house now and maybe they have a different perspective on life. Anyways, they are loving the lessons!

We found another guy, about 30 years old, who wasn't interested really, but then he read 3rd Nephi 11 in a Book of Mormon that other missionaries had given him with that spot marked and he said he wants to get baptized! It was amazing! We just try to help them find direction and overcome their doubts.

I found a German Ensign magazine in the apartment while cleaning today, so I might take a look at that here sometime. I read the cover story titles and didn't think anything of it until one of the others said that it was a German one - after I had set it in the pile to save. I had to look again and, sure enough, it was!

I made cookies today! They were good but didn't turn out like the ones at home cause I didn't spend any money on nuts and raisins and stuff. I had some shredded coconut I put on some which was good though.

Things are going great here! I love what I have been learning from my new companion! 

We just had our last zone conference with the President (Northcutt) and his wife. It was really good and we will miss him, but the new president should be great too! He is about 40 years old and has 5 kids between 5 and 15 (I think). He is from Santa Fe,  Argentina. 

Well I'd better get going! I love you all!  

Alex



Baptism Day






  

At Stake Conference




Visiting Oscar and Family

 

Oscar's Baptism





Transfers - Elder Serey (leaving) and Alex