First Week Back!

Greetings friends, family, and associates!

 

Welp.  First Pday eh??  Pretty sweet.  My companions are Elder Vance and Elder De La Fuente for those of you who don't know and they are the zone leaders down here in Brownsville.  I arrived on Wednesday and we got to work.  We visited the Almeida family who they had contacted a day or two previously and met with Carmen Almeida and her children Barbara (13), Oscar (12), Deborah (10).  I was able to invite them all to be baptized and they accepted to be baptized the 22nd of April, so we are currently working with them and we were able to meet a few other families.  The area here has some problems and they have kind of been struggling in this area recently.  Here is what I sent to dad about it-

 

The work in Brownsville is... ok.  As soon as I got here I was able to tell that there wasn't much member support, but I think most of it is due to previous missionaries.  So this past week we have  been focusing on improving our relations with the member families in our area.  So lame how there are so many missionaries in a ward, I think it makes it so much harder to build solid relations with the ward members.  Despite it being hard, I think it is definitely possible and I think the ward should be soo much stronger for having so many missionaries.  We have like 10 missionaries just in our Spanish ward- how is this not the most active unit in the church when we have 10 people committed full time to try and bring others unto Christ?  Anyways, my companions definitely agree with me and we've been able to help a few members so far and we hope to be able to connect with all the members in our area and then hopefully the other leaders as well. But the area is good.  I can definitely tell the Lord has prepared a lot of people here.  What you say about the mission here is true, there are a lot of people who are so welcoming and kind to us, and that is great, but most of them aren't really willing to act or change their beliefs, but there are still plenty of people that are prepared to receive the gospel.

 

Other than that... Ummm... there isn't really a set schedule for eating here with members and they were outta money so I pretty much bought our groceries last week, but we split it this week.  Anyways, I'm looking forward to continuing working with our families and getting them prepared for baptism and to meet the Lord!  This mission is definitely different, but I think a lot of the things that I loved about missionary work in Argentina are missing here and hopefully I'll be able to help the missionaries here with those things, especially with their relations with the ward members and leadership.  The Lord loves the people of south texas!

 

I love being a missionary and I am so grateful for this opportunity that I have to be here serving while waiting for a visa.  I hope to be able to learn as much as I can until I go and I know I'll be able to pick up a new perspective that will for sure help me when I arrive in Argentina.  I know that my experiences there will also help me here and help the missionaries and wards here as well.  Anyways, please forward this email to all the family and remind them to write me :)  I love you all and miss you mucho!!  The Gospel is true and leads us to true happiness!  It might be hard, but it is always worth it.  Write me before next week!   Love you all and I love you Nicole!

Week 4- Belgrano

Hola Todos! Another week has gone by here in Belgrano and we were able to eat McDonalds once in the past week. Yum. Unfortunately our baptismal date that we had for this week is not getting baptized... at least not this week. Nicolas came to church late yesterday and I talked to him after and he was telling me that he feels like the Catholic church is true... I told him that of course he would feel better as he gets closer to God through any church, but that doesn't mean that that specific church has all of the truth. He recommitted to keep reading the Book of Mormon and praying to receive the answer. I hope I helped him understand the importance of our message. He just doesn't understand... Other than that we have a couple future investigators (people that are kind of floating around due to various circumstances that we are hoping to talk to soon) and pretty much no other investigators. Yesterday we were able to schedule an appointment with a part member family where the mom and the 2 youngest children (who are 9 and 11 and were baptized a few months ago) are members. They have 2 young teens and the father who aren't members. The father recently returned because the mother kicked him out a few months ago, so we hope that they are more sensitive to the gospel now and to how the gospel can help them as a family. We have the appointment on Wednesday. Hopefully we can get something going there and help them with their situation. Other than that not much is happening. We did an activity the last week, but only one non member made it and he lives far away. It's tough working with the members here when they all say that they work in the offices of the church, go home, and the only other place they go is the church. Hopefully we can get them to realize that the people that surround them all the time are their brothers and sisters and get them to want to share the gospel with everyone. Anyways, other than that... not really anything else to say. I love you all. Write me next week! Haha. Chau.

Belgranoooo

So this week was a pretty interesting week... I don't have much time, but I'll try and fit in everything that happened. Exciting things that happened- We visited the Stake President on Monday night and helped him out because his wife is in another province trying to bring home their adopted child and she has been there for 3 months. I think he really appreciated our visit and his apartment is huuuuge!!! He owns a mate (a super popular drink) company. Other things... I did exchanges with the zone leaders for one day.. it went averagely well.... We visited Flia. Krodolfer who is an older couple from Switzerland. He was mission president in Tuscon Arizona and they speak 5/6 languages. They ended up taking us to McDonalds in their car and talking a little bit about the less actives and some ideas that we could do to find more investigators. It was epic. We also had lunch/dinner with Elder and Sister Foster (2nd quorum of the 70), Sunday lunch with Sister Arnold, and we visited the Aidukaitis family to ask for their help with an investigator who was a reference from them. So we basically covered all of our bases. Haha. Anyways, this week when we were talking with Brother Kradolfer we talked about a program that the area presidency has made that the bishop said we don't have anything to do with (when we really do) and what it is is that the relief society, the high priest group, and the Elders quorum are supposed to have 5 families each of less actives/part member families and they are supposed to do a lot of things with them and one step is to invite the families to receive the missionaries. Anyways, nobody would give us even the names of the families and so for that we went to hno. kradolfer because he is the high priest group leader so we wanted to see how we could help him with his assigned families. Anyways, later he talked to us about how maybe we could do a Book of Mormon stand or something in a park. Anyways, a couple days later (Saturday night) I got a call from the zone leaders and they said President Gulbrandsen was worried about us because President Arnold called him saying that his missionaries didn't know about the program and that they were inventing new programs with parks and stuff... haha. So anyways, Pres. Gulbrandsen called me yesterday and he made me explain him the whole program and everything and he was just really confused. Haha. I guess there was a slight confusion in what we talked about with bro. Kradolfer, but President just said, well that just shows you how everyone has their eye on you! Hahaha. Pretty interesting. Anyways, we are still working really hard with our investigators (even though there are very few....) and trying to find new ones! Love you all! Thanks for your support!

1st General email of year 2

So last week I completed a year in the mission! Pretty crazy eh? Yup, I bought ice cream to celebrate. So this past week I realized I left a ton of my stuff in the south... but Elder Aguirre finishes the mission this transfer and he says he is going to bring up all the stuff I left down there. But the worst is that I left my hair buzz/clipper. Narf. Haircuts are way expensive and I don't know if anyone else has a dealy. We'll see. My hair is getting longish. This past week we had a breakthrough here! So during last week we went and visited the Aidukaitis family (my companion had never just passed by before and didn't really want to do it... haha) and we asked for a referral that Sister Aidukaitis had given the missionaries before that they had lost. She gave it to us and recommended we involve someone else in her conversion (because Sister and Elder Aidkaities don't always go to our ward). So we called her niece on Saturday night and had her call the referral and the lady (Marta) came on Sunday! So she went to church and already has a few attendances and is excited to keep coming and we are going to try to schedule a family home evening with the Aidukaitis family or with their niece and her family. Other breakthrough- Then, in the last hour of the meetings on Sunday a younger man walked in and sat down. My companion told me that he had gone a couple times before and so after the meeting I went up and started talking to him. His name is Nicolaus. Then one of our ward missionaries walked into the room and was really surprised to see him. Apparently they are friends since they were 14. He agreed to a discussion right then. So we started off the lesson really well getting to know him a little and also the 2 ward missionaries bore their testimonies and also a recent convert about how the gospel had helped them. We were able to transition smoothly into the lesson and he went from saying ''I'm Catholic'' to (at the end of the lesson) accepting the baptismal invite saying, ''I have to do it.'' He accepted a baptismal date for the 4th of June. The Spirit was really strong during the whole lesson and when we knelt down and prayed at the end of the lesson he prayed very sincerely and asked if what we were sharing with him was true. The Spirit was really strong and when he finished the prayer he turned and hugged me, as if giving thanks. It was a really special lesson and I hope he keeps progressing towards his baptismal date the 4th. Awesome. We also were able to have a few successful interactions with former investigators and contacts so we should have an even better week this week. We are also working with our ward mission leader to be able to start involving the young single adults a little better and to do some activities through the which we will be able to find new investigators. The future is bright! Just gotta keep our heads up. Love you all. Holler at cher boy Elder Trayner next week!

Belgrano

Hola, Well this past week was pretty crazy. I don't really want to retell the whole story cuz I already told the fam on Saturday (when I called for the Mother's day call), but I'll do it quickly. So on Wednesday night I was finishing planning with Elder Mateos, just doin what we do when we got a call from a blocked number. So E Mateos answered and it was President Gulbrandsen! So he asked to talk to me so I picked up and this was a rough outline of how the conversation went- Elder Trayner, we have a situation up here and we're going to need you to come up to be a District Leader in Belgrano. ....oh.... I know that you have a few baptisms planned in the following weeks, but sometimes the Lord works in mysterious ways and we need you up here. oh.. ok... Well we're gonna try to get you on a plane tomorrow up here and your companion is going to be Elder Lemo. Oh.. ok... sounds good. Oh, and just so you know, it is the area where all the general authorities live and they are attentive to your work so... So no pressure or anything right?? Haha, yeah, no pressure or anything.... but I just want you to know that I have a lot of confidence in you. Oh... ok sounds good Well do you have any questions (and he started going off talking about how the Elders of the group after me were doing and I told him I was from the group before with E Hunt, Allen and Smith....) So I spent a lot of the night packing and in the morning hopped in a comvee to Ushuaia, hopped on a plane, and arrived to my area at about 9 at night. Pretty crazy. Anyways, Nate asked me some pretty good questions about the area and stuff so I'll let that conversation explain pretty much everything--- Responses to Nate's questions: So tell us about your new area and your new companion. The area is dead here and has been for awhile. My companion started here 2 transfers ago but his trainer was transferred or something and then a companion came that had back problems and didn't do anything (he's in the offices now) and then my comp was in another area for a long time, then another companion came but he was receiving weird letters from a girl convert and so President switched me and him. Haha. We have one kind of investigator at this point and my companion doesn't really know the members. The University of Belgrano is located inside of our area so there are at least 25 young single adults. We are going to try to make the best use of them in the near future. We also have 3 general authorities (President Arnold, Elder Aidukaitis, and Elder Foster) and their families and an area 70 named Elder Alliaud and his family (I think he has family.. not sure about that one...) Yesterday we had an attendance of about 115-120, but they tell me the normal is about 70-80. It was an incredible change from my branch with the inactive branch president. Haha. We have 2 ward missionaries (girl students because not too long ago there were sisters in this area), and they recently called a ward mission leader who looks to be most excellent. I haven't seen a ward that works so well like this one in all my time here in Argentina. The church actually works how it should! Haha. We also have one returned mission president with his family and I think 2 sets of elderly missionaries that work in the area offices (which are located just outside the area). Any investigators? Like I said, one'ish. It sounded like you are in a powerhouse ward with general authorities- that must be crazy. Do they invite you over? Sometimes we have dinner with them, and if we haven't taught or found new investigators or haven't received referrals in the day I hear it gets ugly. Haha. Especially with Elder Aidukaitis. Are you the only companionship in the ward or are the other missionaries in your district also in that ward? Just us. Those were the questions Nate asked me.... pretty much explain everything by the looks of it. The weather is a lot nicer here... and it is probably one of the richest areas in the mission... being District leader is pretty cool.. The District meeting on Friday (of course the morning after I arrive... haha) went really well and we have some good Elders and Hermanas (sisters). Now we just need to get progressing because there is a lot of room for improvement, but surely we are headed up! Welp. love you all. Let me know if you have any other questions or anything. Until next week!

Tengo hambre

To whom it may concern...? Another week goes by here in the cold. Looks like I'll be here for another 6 weeks. Hopefully we can get things rolling here, cuz I've been pretty frustrated these last 12 weeks. Haha.... On Sunday only one person who has a baptismal date went to church, Monica. Miguel Ahumada was sick and we don't know what is going on with the Ochoa family because we haven't been able to make contact except once in the past week and our member that is helping us, Marcelo, hasn't been able to get in contact with them either. Lame... But we are looking forward to a great transfer now that the other one has gone by. Hmmm... What else... Oh. We went to a funeral of 2 pioneer (for the island) members who were killed last week from another branch. It was really sad, but Elder and Hna. Downs (the couple that came here) tell us that they have been able to get in contact with a lot of less actives of Chacra and El Centro (the other 2 branches) due to the funeral and all the people that went to the viewing and funeral. Oh!!!! Hahahahha!!! I just remembered the epic moment of the week!!! Yes!!! Hahaha. This past week... like... Friday or something... we were with the Ahumada family teaching them and then afterwards we had another appointment far away and we were running late so Miguel offered to drive us in his super ghetto car. So we hopped in and we headed off and he was telling us how he always just drives normal even if the terrain isn't ideal (because the dirt roads here have weird tiny pot hole thingies everywhere) when we went down a road and there was a big body of water.... he accelerated and we entered into the water made it about half way and then we stopped and the motor cut out. So he tries to start it up and it wouldn't start up.... haha.... then my foot started getting cold and my companion reached down to the floor and said, Ah! There's a bunch of water!!! Hahahhaa. Oh no.... So they took off their shoes and socks and rolled up their pants and I just walked out with my boots and the water was suuuper cold and we started pushing the car out. Hahahahaha. We finally got it out and it was really cold after. Then a member came and towed the car with a little rope back to Miguel's house and luckily the next day the car worked so he could go to work. Anyways, that's all I've got this week. Hope you enjoyed. haha. Love you guys. Thanks for everything. Happy mothers day!

I'm hungry right now...

Hey everyone, I'm pretty hungry this morning and it is pretty cold outside. Plus it is raining. Haha. Anyways, I received many excellent emails this past week, thank you all for writing me and keeping me in mind. Oh a couple things I forgot to put in the emails to people... mom or dad, is it possible to send tobasco sauce or some type of delicious spicyness??? If so please do, along with CDs of music and talks or whatever, I need new things to listen to. haha. I am still waiting the Jennie Oaks Baker CD since I left the MTC... Hahaha. Anyways, a few weeks ago I bought boots and they are warm and water proof. This week I need to buy a belt and new socks and new basketball shorts. Just so you know what I am buying. Haha. Welp, this past week was most excellent. We were able to do some pretty crazy things and we are really excited for our future prospects. We ended up teaching all of the lessons this past week with member. A feat I've never heard of. Haha. We taught 22 lessons all with a member present in the lesson. Unfortunately Monica decided not to be baptized last week, but we put a new baptismal date with her for next month. In total we now have 6 baptismal dates and we had 7 investigators in church on Sunday! Woo hoo! We are still trying to boost the attendance of the members, but we didn't have much luck with the long weekend and everyone going camping. We had an attendance of about 65. We are working a lot with a family called the Ahumada family. They are 2 young parents named Miguel and Natalia that we found the other week from an old record that was buried away. Anyways, they are progressing A LOT. They heard the missionaries before like 4 years ago and the last time they had contact was a 1.5-2 years ago. They have 4 little children, but unfortunately they aren't married (who is married here??). They went to church and are starting to do some paperwork to get their birth certificates to be able to get married. Miguel knows that the church is true, but it is taking Natalia a little bit more time, but she is reading and praying every day. Spectacular. Miguel even offered to sleep at a members house and live the law of chastity so that he could get baptized this week, but he realized that isn't the best option and so we are working on the papers with them. We are also working a lot with the Ochoa familiy. Also former investigators with about the same time periods. Unfortunately Miriam (the mom) ¨wasn't feeling well¨ so they didn't go on Sunday, but they (Ricardo, Miriam, and their 8 year old daughter) have a baptismal date for next month as well. We're going to keep working hard with them so they can gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon because in the 1st lesson (I was on splits with a member) I asked (as we were introducing the Book of Mormon and what they have to know if it is true- read, ponder, and pray) if they had prayed if it was true and they said, Honestly, no, I have never prayed about it, and she said the same. So I bore testimony about how I received an answer and how I knew they could receive an answer too and they accepted the challenge. Unfortunately they didn't read either, but they are committed to read before Thursday. They are a really good family. Anyways, those are the baptismal dates that we have now. It made me so happy to see the Ahumada family together in church on Sunday. It is hard to keep the faith when everything is going wrong, but that's what the faith is- keeping your head up and trusting in God even when we do everything right and receive everything wrong. I believe that next month will be an excellent month here in Austral, hopefully I'm still here to see it (there are transfers next Sunday), but I'm pretty sure I will because we just started doing really well and I am training. We'll see what the Lord wants. Anyways, I love you all. Thank you so much for all your love and your letters of support. Keep reading the Book of Mormon and you won't stray from the strait and narrow. Holler at me next week! Keep it real! P.S... I can't remember if I didn't send a general letter of if something went wrong... hahaha... sorry! Love you all!