Hola de Constitución

Hello everyone,

Elder Trayner here, writing from Buenos Aires. Hope everyone is doing
well, and from what I hear everyone is doing well. This week was
another good week here. This week we have a kind of interesting
baptism. Yarine Cordova is going to be baptized because somehow her
membership record got lost and there aren't witnesses. Then the
following week we have at least 2 more and we are hoping for 7. On
the 27th we have the baptisms of Nicole Caimi (a really old lady who
has had a really rough life, but feels really happy with the church),
Gaston Miranda (the 9 year old who just moved here a couple months
ago), and we are also working really hard so that the Medrano family
(with the 2 young twin girls) can get baptized. They just struggle to
understand and they don't trust in what they know they have felt. It
is kind of frustrating, but we are expecting them to be able to be
baptized the 29th as well. These are our baptismal prospects at this
point.

Ok. So my whole mission just changed yesterday... They released
Bishop Villalba!! He is leaving to live in his other house in Azeiza
(where the temple is here). Now we have Bishop Casariego who was the
counselor. So crazy. I can't believe him and his wife are leaving.
We are going to miss them a lot. Also, a returned missionary who did
an epic job as the young men's president, Fabian Cardozo is leaving.
Lame. But we are working hard with a lot of people and the Lord is
blessing us to meet people that are really prepared and also people
that are members that fell away a long time ago. We are trying to
bring them back, but as it explains in the Book of Mormon, once they
have had the light and rejected it once, it is really hard to bring
them back, but we are trying really hard, but we understand it is up
to them to make their own decision. It is really hard to see when
people realize what they are missing out on and how they don't have
the happiness that they need in their family and then they don't come
to church to be able to change their lives. So dumb. It happened
this week with a few people. We went to some former investigators and
they told us how they were even worse off now than they were before
and how they realized they needed to find the help of God, and how
they had seen how the Gospel and our church helps people change, but
none of them came. Also, we found a man the other week who has 8 kids
and he isn't happy and he told us he really wanted to go and he didn't
come. And the worst was the dad of Gaston Miranda (the 9 year old who
is gonna get baptized the 29th) didn't come. It is so frustrating
sometimes. I just want the people to just fulfill what they say and
finally change their lives, but in the end it is their choice. Lame.
But I understand we are doing a good job here and the ward really has
changed, and that makes me really happy. I hope that this year can be
a year even better and I know that the Lord called our new bishop and
it must be for some reason, so we are excited to get working with him
and the new bishopric now.

Anyways, I just want to invite you guys to change the things that you
know that you need to change right now. Don't put it off, because it
will never happen. That is something I have learned here. I have
also learned the importance of being true to your word. I am so happy
for the opportunity I have to be here in the mission and I really have
seen a lot of miracles that the Lord has performed here in the ward
and this area. It's tough when there are changes, but I know the Lord
is looking over us and He always has His hand in our lives, even when
we don't realize it. Anyways, I want you all to know that I know the
Book of Mormon is true, and that by reading the book, by pondering
what it says, and by praying to God we can all know it is true. I
know that Joseph Smith was a prophet chosen by the Lord to restore His
church on the earth. I am so greatful to know this church and to be a
part of it, and it really has changed my life. I hope we can all
recognize the influence of the Lord in our lives and see how much He
really does bless us. I love all of you guys and I want you to know
that each one of you has changed my life, and for the better. I have
learned something special from each one of you. I love you all.
Don't forget that it is us who leave the Lord, not the Lord who leaves
us. Keep safe and look forward to hearing from you all next week!