Sept 26, 2011    Tartagal   Argentina

It’s been pretty nice weather wise. Meaning, cooler. Today it got kind of hot while we were playing soccer with some members then we went to eat lunch at their house and all got a good soaking with the hose! Felt pretty refreshing.

So about some of the people we are teaching; Patricia is going to be baptized this weekend between conferences! She is 19 and works at her family’s taxi business. I think they have two cars and she is always sitting outside during the time she isn’t in school. Just so happens that my companion and his companion before always walked by there and she always said hi and so did they. Eventually she stopped them and asked about what they believe. That happened the Friday before I got to the area. They visited with her once and she came to church. I got here the Monday right after and we taught her three times that week. She had a few doubts but started reading and we always have members with us so they became friends. She makes friends very easily with everyone so she has come to church every Sunday since (4 total) and will be baptized this weekend. She said that she used to argue more and fight more but in the short time that she has been listening to us and reading the Book of Mormon she is amazed at her desire to change for the better and not argue and fight! She is really talkative with everyone and when she came into church right at nine, everyone was sitting waiting for sacrament meeting to start and she said HOLA BUEN DIA! I am sure everyone heard her but we were all smiling because it’s just her personality. haha. I don’t think she will do it again but it didn’t hurt anything.

Franco is 11 years old and is going to a special school to become a police man. He is the nicest boy I have ever met! He is the oldest of three and his sister who is 8 or 9 has a talking disability or something. She is always happy and smiling and walks and plays like everyone else but she can’t talk. She tries but it’s just things nobody understands. I am not sure what it is but Franco is always praying for her to be able to learn to talk. Franco’s dad is a member but inactive. He won’t come to church and it sounds like part of his family is JW and he seems to be leaning towards their church. He said Franco can be baptized but the mom says no for now. She didn’t mind them teaching him and when it came time for the interview she decided that he needed to wait a year. We haven’t talked to her again yet but Franco always comes to church and it’s about a 30 minute walk! His family invited him to go to the JW church and he said, “No, I know the true church is the Church of Jesus Christ!” I would have to say he remembers everything we teach him better than any investigator I have ever had! He is just so sharp! We have him praying in all their family prayers that he can be baptized and to ask his mom when he feels prompted to. I think he asks every week. He has been coming to church for a couple months I think.

We have about 8 others who are good but sometimes don’t make it to our appointments and what not. They are reading and progressing but slower. They will make it though. 

The other missionaries told me Saturday at 10:30 right before bed that I had a talk the next day! I figured out what I was going to do and woke up a few minutes early and put it together. It turned out really good, I thought, for that short of notice. That was my first talk in the mission besides the MTC and sharing my testimony. 

Last week we saw some thunder clouds coming and sure enough it poured right after we got home! We then had about a 30 minute lightning show and it was non-stop! All over the sky you could see bolts! One of the missionaries in our house got some good pictures with a feature on his camera. 

  

Well I better get going! I love you all very much and I will send some pictures next week! We got here a little late today.

Love, Alex!