April 2, 2012   Tucumán   Argentina

 

WOW! I am officially an uncle! Makes me feel even older! haha Dean looks like Eric alot! I told one of our very humble investigators that I was going to have a nephew at the end of this month and every time we went there and she said a prayer to end or start she prayed for Alyssa! I didn’t even ask her to she just did it. She came from a very difficult and shady background and is the one that has learned to read but she has the biggest heart for everyone. Her step daughter and her husband are druggies that live on the same lot and don’t take care of their 3 year old girl. Samir, who just turned 3 years Thursday always is giving her his milk that his mom makes for him and tea and bread that he gets and goes back and asks his mom for more so he can eat. Her big heart reflects immensely in him at only 3 years old. The oregano is helping the spots on him alot and got rid of the ones he had but he got another one on his chest. I wonder if it’s parasites that he has that are causing them. I guess some DE wouldn’t hurt him would it? haha! I feel bad that I can’t just get it for everyone here but whatever. Their faith can work too.

The guy who has stomach cancer hasn’t been in bed since he started taking the things I gave him and he feels better too. He doesn’t have vomit anymore and he went in for a double check on what he has a half week after he was taking everything and they found a tumor in his stomach that is blocking food passage a bit and so he can only eat liquids. They said it’s not malignant (?) and that he should be fine but they want to go in and take it out. He and his wife came to conference Sunday afternoon and loved it! They are such a nice family. They cant get married because his previous wife from ten years ago won’t allow a divorce or he can’t find her to sign the papers. That’s what the other missionary told me anyways. We’ll see what we can do.

We got 5 investigators to go from our area and some less/inactives to go to conference. It was one of my favorites so far. Maybe I say that every time but I never dozed once because I was so excited to hear and learn from them. It was great thinking about investigators while being there because we will be printing off or showing a few investigators talks from the conference to answer questions. One was a guy whose wife got baptized about 6 months ago and he has questions about why he has a mentally challenged son. Two of the talks were perfect for him and these questions. He didn’t come but he might have watched parts on internet with his son. We have yet to find out.

There was a baptism right after the conference on Sunday and we were about to have a great kid who is 14 years old baptized but then he put doubts in his mind right before and didn’t want to do it. He is planning for next week but we have to help him see his answer again and help him to grow his testimony this week. The problem is that often times people can be unsure now and then after they receive a testimony before the baptism but need to take that leap of faith and do it and feel the difference at the baptism. Alot of people gain their testimony at the baptism.

His mom is almost done with the book of Mormon and we have taught her everything but she still says she’s Catholic. We are not going to focus on her and just let her keep reading and coming to church (came to conference twice too!) and she will eventually know. One of her daughters was ready and told them she wanted to be baptized but then work started and she dropped reading the book of Mormon and her mom said something to her about changing religions. She now has excitement again and a new baptism date planned for the 14th of April. It has been a trying few weeks with them but one learns good attributes from those experiences I guess.

Attributes which I will be needing because I lost my old companion and will be training a new missionary now. I have to work today and tomorrow in my area with a member until I leave Tuesday night for Salta to go pick up my new companion. I don’t know anything about him yet so I’ll let you know next week. But I will but there for all of Wednesday and get back late that night (at least that’s what I am hoping).
It’s really hard to leave your area knowing that nothing is happening there while you're gone unless I can get a member to pass by our investigators. I will be working on getting that to happen here today and tomorrow.

With a new missionary we get an extra hour of companion study and we have a DVD player to watch the "District" and practice alot. They have a new system for missionaries to learn faster and have goals of things they need to do every week which is supposed to bust their progress alot! I am excited to be learning right along side of whomever it is because they didn’t have this in place until the last few months.

The baptism on Sunday evening at the stake center was from my trainer(elder Serey) who left for home today. He was also my zone leader for this last transfer (6 weeks). His ward had a few people get up and say a few things for him afterwards and it was really cool! I got up and told him how grateful I was to have him teach me in the mission and was able to say goodbye afterwards. It was a really spiritual experience for the investigators that were present from several different wards.

I sometimes feel like I am learning slowly but when I look back and think about it I seem to be learning so much. I still have so much to learn though and was a bit surprised when I found out I was going to be training. I guess it’s the opportunity to learn all that that I still need, to keep progressing.

I don’t know if I told you but the weather has cooled alot and I actually wore a sweater for two days (last week if I'm not mistaking). The more I am working with our branch presidencies I have grown to love and appreciate all that they do out of their work schedule and family life to help the work move forward.

Well I am so excited for the family and how its growing! That's one thing I have been thinking about... what day it would be and what not but now I just look forward to pictures as Dean continues to grow! I can’t wait to see him in person!

Well I better get going! I love you all so much and will try to get some pictures the next week. I got a little carried away in writing this week.

Love Alex