10-22-12    Salta   Argentina

 

Hi!

Wow! the weeks just go faster and faster. This week has been trying but very interesting and has built up my ability to identify the spirit and search for the spirit in the different activities that we do. Sometimes we study but don’t feel too much and so we have to search and desire the spirit with all our hearts for the benefit of the Lord’s work.

So the two sister missionaries left with short notice to a different area so we have to take over their area and investigators until the president puts two more elders in the area. It will be a challenge but I have a feeling that we will be in divisions all this week with members.

 We have two people to prepare for baptism and one we don’t know aside from seeing and talking to her in church briefly. The president told us to look for an apartment for 4 missionaries - that’s why we know he will be putting two elders in. It’s really exciting because the ward we are in should be splitting in December and the stake will also split if things go as planned. Then the area will ask for a temple here! I am so excited for the mission in the next few years! It’s so exciting to see the growth that is happening.

 We found a wonderful family because a member who is 18 years old said, when I asked if he had any friends nearby to visit when our appointments failed us, that he always wanted to knock the door of a certain house. It happened to be his friend and so we talked and he went to a church activity and then on Saturday went to a soccer activity and came to church Sunday. His brother is a member in southern Argentina. He doesn’t know much about the church but has a sincere desire to learn more. We also received the mom of this kid as a reference from a member not knowing they were family because she wasn’t at home when we went to talk to the kid the first time. We contacted the mom at her vegetable stand where the sister had told us she is always working. My companion did that the day after I went to the house. Then walking past the stand the next day the kid (Fernando) was showing up to talk to her. We could feel that the Lord was sending us there and that it was no coincidence.

Well we have to go! There is so much to do! I love you all!!!!!!!

Love,

Alex

10-16-12    Salta   Argentina

 

Hi mom
Sorry I didn’t write yesterday. We had a full day and due to all the stuff we had to buy, we didn’t make it here. We are doing great and are happy and having a great new week! The rope is tied across our room to hang our stuff on. haha. [I had asked Alex what the rope was for.] I will try to take some pictures before we take it down. We didn’t get everything so we will have to go back next week.

I love you all!
Alex

10-8-12      Salta   Argentina

 

Hi,

This conference weekend was really great. We got some recent converts there and 7 different investigators. We could have had alot more but we need to commit the people a little better beforehand.

I watched the Saturday sessions in Spanish but found that when I tried to note something down I couldn’t stay focused on what they were talking about so when I went to English it was easier to take notes and still hear what they were saying.

I loved Elder Holland’s talk. I guess he gave the same one (almost) in the mtc but was even more bold and firm. He has a couple famous talks in the mtc. He has so much power behind what he says, it’s amazing. "Do you love me?" will be a question I frequently ask myself. It really makes one ponder and think about how we can improve. It seems they are really pushing for a higher speed of perfecting ourselves. Between that and dropping the age for missionaries to 18 and the girls can leave at 19 now makes me feel the second coming is alot closer.

Well we moved today and that used a bit of our time. I feel like I am camping even more now than ever haha. We will be buying an oven and fridge next Monday along with bed frames and closets... we have a rope and a floor and bathroom for now. The most important things at least! haha. We will eat alot of bread with non perishable things. :)

The chapel is close by so we will study and cook there if needed. This is the first time in my mission that I have lived in my area! I am excited and can already picture our neighbors in the baptismal font! haha.

Well I love you all so much and hope everything is going well!

 

Alex

10-1-12      Salta   Argentina

 

Hi!

I am just getting to know the members here and don’t really have a relationship with them yet because there are about 120 -130 actives! Lots more than I am used to. We have alot more lunches with less actives and recent converts here because our mission leader organizes the lunches.

This week was an amazing week! At the beginning we were a little worried about the people who we were preparing to baptize - that they would need more time. We didn’t find them until Tuesday or Wednesday. The father of three kids is preparing to baptize his kids but needs to get active again. He is close but wasn’t ready for this week. He seemed ready on Thursday but Friday didn’t show up and Saturday we didn’t find him before the baptism.

The other lady had a testimony and her interview a few weeks ago but kept putting up doubts. Every time we saw her this week she said she didn’t want to listen to us any more. We always got into the house to talk about it and she would say no no no to baptism. This went on until Friday night when we had a very spiritual lesson with her - but she was still not wanting to do it. We had ended a fast Friday afternoon which was the key along with fervent prayer. Saturday we did divisions and my companion went to see if she was going to come that night to the baptism. He didn’t insist like he was doing before but just talked to her. After the prayer my companion told her that she hadn’t said if she was going to get baptized that evening or not and she said she was going to do it!

We stopped by to go to the chapel with her to see if anything had changed her mind or if she was just saying it to get us out of her house and she was all ready to go and excited.

Friday night we were just praying that she would feel the spirit and that it could work in her and that she could have the desire to get baptized and knew that was the only way it would happen. After her baptism and confirmation on Sunday she looked like a different person! It was truly a miracle! Her 8 year-old daughter got baptized at the same time. I don’t have the pictures yet but I will send them when I get it from the bishop. We didn’t have our cameras with us.

I have to get going. We still only have one mini and aren’t moved out yet. We should be moving this week some time. We will be right by the chapel in our area. It will be really nice.

I love you all and thank you for everything.

Alex

9-24-12      Salta   Argentina

 

Wow! We are swamped in the work here! I am in a ward that is alot more organized than any I have been in and it’s a blessing because we have sooo much to do! My companion and I are the zone leaders here and I really didn't think I was ready but I realized I have to bump up to the task. Alot of today was used to prepare for our zone conference tomorrow. We also have so many people to teach that we asked for two mini missionaries. They are going to be with us tomorrow and I barely know my new area! Mini missionaries are so we can be in divisions constantly to teach everyone.

We had two people get baptized who are so great. They are brother and sister, and a friend of theirs brought us to their house. I have a feeling the family will shortly be baptized too.

I forgot my camera card today but I will try next week. We will be moving sometime to a different apartment. Well I love you all so much and forgive me for not writing any letters. It’s next to impossible with all that is going on.

Love,

Alex

9-17-12        Salta   Argentina

 

I got transferred back to Salta near the city center right next to my
first area! haha
I might be going on divisions in my previous area so that will be cool.
We got to Salta late and I have no time to write. I am doing great! I
love my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ and all of you!

I will fill you in next week if we don’t end up moving to an apartment
in our area. We have to take a bus to get in as of now.
Sunday before church, we had a baptism because the water was broken or
something Saturday. He is 85 years old and loves the church! He is a
real gentleman! You don’t find many as nice as he is!

Love Alex!

My new companion is Elder Rodriguez from Buenos Aires!
Back to 100% Spanish

9-10-12               Tucumán   Argentina

 

So this week was really cool! We got to see the rededication of the temple in Buenos Aires! We watched it on the big screen at church Sunday morning and a second session right after for those who couldn’t in the morning. There were a couple different talks in the two sessions but the first was super good! One of my favorite 70´s (Arnold) was there and gave a wonderful talk. Elders Ballard and Christofferson of the 12 were there and along with President Eyring. They all spoke and it was really good.

A couple things I learned was that in life we are to figure what’s important and what’s not really that important and put the important first.

The temple recommend is like oil in our lamps and we need to always be prepared.

Pres. Monson dedicated the temple in B.A. when it first opened in 88(?) and it was the 39th temple. Now the Brigham City temple being dedicated in two weeks will be the 139 temple!

There is no sacrifice too big or pain too great to receive the blessings of the temple.

It is now the biggest temple in South America and by seeing the pictures it looked like a beautiful temple.

We also watched the temple celebration which is a cultural event and has a lot of different types of the local dances done by youth in the church. It was really cool and two of our investigators went and really liked it too. Pres Eyring and the two apostles shared their testimonies and blessings with everyone here and it was really spiritual for the investigators!

All of it made me want to go to the temple really bad but I will use that energy to get the members there that need to go from the branches I am in. In one week we have exchanges but you can send anything to me still. I will get it to those that need it.

All of a sudden I am finding tons of people with kidney problems... I am wondering if the translation of the roots and weeds that are in the bag are what they are called in Spanish or just names translated literally. Maybe you could look on the internet to find a correct translation. I’ll see if anyone knows here.
It came to my mind that maybe I am supposed to do all I can to share the information with those in need of it since the opportunities are coming up so often. I have thought that maybe it would be easier to come back with the information prepared and do some classes on it in the chapels. Who knows? haha

I will get the package on Tuesday of this week so don’t worry - it's here.

Love,

 Alex