Transferred

Greetings all acquaintances, friends, and family members,

 

This past week was really great!  We had 9 investigators at church and are set to baptize weekly this month... and then I got picked up last night (Sunday night) and transferred to Hidalgo.  Haha.  So I'm going to miss the baptisms of a couple of amazing people (George and Sister Garza), but I am excited to work here.  There were some issues with disobedience and so an Elder was transferred and that's how I ended up here and now I'm the District Leader, so it should be exciting.  I'm excited to help the missionaries here and to build up the wards (we have an English and a Spanish ward).  So far it seems like we have one solid investigator and a couple that have just been kind of "floating," but hopefully we'll be able to meet with most of them and set expectations of what we really intend to do (help them exercise their faith and repent by starting to read, pray, and go to church, be baptized, etc.).

 

There is still no word on my visa, but they have everything they need from us for a few weeks sooo... hopefully it will be soon.  I have a bunch of pictures I need to send, but I just keep forgetting and I don't have a sd/usb adapter.  But I should be able to borrow one soon.  I showed mom some and she loved them haha.  I don't really have too much to say... I'm excited to work here in Hidalgo!  Oh, and my new comp is Elder Nielson from Boise Idaho.  This is still his first area and he has been here about 8 months, so he should know it pretty well, we'll see how it goes.

 

Anyways I love you all!  I appreciate your letters and emails!  Sorry if I haven't written some of you back, I wasn't in charge of managing time on Pday so I didn't have much time to write (like last week when I didn't even get to send an email...haha)  Anyways, I should be able to write soon. I love you all!  Don't forget to read in the Book of Mormon today!

A few more weeks here??

Dear todos-

 

Another week has gone by here in Brownsville, this week our investigators faced a lot of opposition.  The Almeida kids (Barbara, Oscar, and Deborah) ended up not getting baptized.  At first it was just Barbara who said she didn't want to get baptized any more- she just said it was cuz her life was already good and she didn't really want to start another one.  We tried to explain how even Jesus Christ was baptized and that it is a commandment that we're all baptized, but she just didn't understand or want to understand.  But Oscar and Deborah were really excited to get baptized and had and passed their baptismal interviews, but then Saturday night that had to go with their mom to their uncle's house- and we think they got anti'd there or something.  We tried to go by many times during Sunday, but they weren't home and finally we got a call from Carmen (the mom) and she just said they didn't want to get baptized anymore... :/  So we'll have to see what happened, but it was a super downer for Sunday.

 

On a positive note- we were able to see a miracle when our investigator Hermana (sister) Garza came to church by herself.  We had an awesome church tour with them earlier in the week, but we knew her husband already had to go to mexico on Sunday, but her 20 year old daughter was supposed to go too, but last second she backed out on her mom, but her mom came and loved church.  We had an excellent member/recent convert talk with her and she started crying and everything, but it was awesome to see how brave she was by coming by herself and trying to set the example.  We just need her to keep it up and we know they will follow.

 

I went on a few exchanges (well, I didn't really exchange myself for anyone, but rather went and helped another area haha) this week in other areas and was able to talk with a lot of intersting people.  I will actually be returning to go out with Elder Irwin and Jackson to teach a family for the second time that we found knocking when I was with them.  We knocked and the mom answered and we started talking to her about the restored gospel and she was really interested- so she made her 12 year old and I think 9 year old boys come to the door to listen too.  We then asked if we could continue talking inside and she let us right in.  She had a lot of excellent questions- where did we come from?  Why are there so many churches?  How can I find the truth?  And so we taught to her needs and shared the restoration and she loved it and said she believed it.  We gave her the Book of Mormon and left her with a chapter to read and right as we were going strong with the Spirit and the Book of Mormon her baby daughter started crying really loud and so she asked if we could come back another day to teach them.  So anyways, Tuesday was the best we could do because they go to mexico a lot because they own a big syrup type company (their house was really nice).  Anyways, I am excited for all these people we're teaching in the zone.  Anywho, time is short!  Love you all!  Share with me about your Book of Mormon reading this week, or your favorite chapter and why! :)  Love!

A Strange Week

Dear everyone,

 

This week was very strange.  I went to the mission home and slept there Tuesday night and flew to Utah on Wednesday.  There were all kinds of funny stories.  Everyone was really excited for me thinking I was going home, then when we landed in Salt Lake there was nobody waiting for me at baggage claim hahaha, A lady even let me use her cell phone to make a couple calls.  Pretty awkward.  Also when Josh dropped me off at the MTC they didn't understand very well where my companion was hahaha.  Good times.  Well with all that and missing my flight back to McAllen, it was pretty fun.  It was great to see some family and 4 buddies that already were home from their missions (Jared, Rem, Luke, and Josh).  It was super weird and I might have gotten a little trunky (don't worry I'm already back and focused... haha)  It didn't really feel like home there as I haven't even been there in 2 years and I lived in Provo for a year.  It was really weird to be honest haha- McAllen feels much more like home these days.

 

Other than the trip, this week was pretty uneventful.  We had a bunch of good investigators at church and hopefully we'll be baptizing 3 next Sunday (The Almeida family- Barbara, Deborah, and Oscar).  We still have a lot to teach them, but they're great.

 

Oh!  Other exciting moment of the week was when we went to go talk to our investigator and she was outside watering her grass, so we went up and were talking when all of a sudden Elder Vance saw a tarantula!!!!!!!  ahhhh!! haha- it was big and ugly and weird, but we killed it and threw it in the road haha.

 

Anyways, that pretty much sums up everything.  Just trying to get back into missionary mode, it has just all been so weird with all the different circumstances I've been in, I can't imagine how it is for the people that live down here that have to serve here- it'd be hard to get in "missionary mode."  But it is good, and I have learned a lot of things.  I now see how great the MTC is at preparing you, but also the Lord has helped prepare me to come back as well.

 

We have all my paperwork all done now, so now we're just waiting on the consulate to grant me the visa!  Everyone pray that it will come quick- that is if you ever want to see me again.  Hahaha.  Anywho, great week last week and I'm excited for this week!

Week 3

To whom it may concern,

 

Another great week has gone by!  We are teaching a few more people now and a few more went to church.  Unfortunately the Almeida family didn't go to church and didn't answer our calls and weren't home all day :/  But the kids are still progressing really well towards their baptismal date and are consistently reading.

 

I don't really have too much to say again this week.  I still am getting used to the work here- I think by the time I do and get it figured out I'll be back in Argentina getting used to what I already was accustomed to.  Haha.  Oh well, but it is good and being here has been really good for my spanish and getting back in the groove.

 

As most of you know I will be heading to Provo this week to meet with the Argentine consulate as I apparently have to do that in order to get my visa.  So Tuesday night Mom and Dad will pick me up and then Wednesday I'll leave for Utah and get back Friday from what I understand.  Not really sure how everything will work out, but it will.  haha- I'm kind of nervous about it, it will be really weird going to Utah for me haha, but it will be awesome to see Josh and Brit and their family.

 

Anyways, I bought an argentine soccer jersey today :)  haha, should be good to play in in 15 minutes.  I love all of you and miss you!  I shall see a lot of you soon this week!  Make sure you are holding fast to the iron rod and doing the simple things, because those are the things that will keep you grounded and protected.  Love!

Week 2

Yo,

 

Another great week this week, I can't really write because my companions are already done... :/  Sorry, but I love you all a lot and I'll actually be seeing mom and dad tomorrow at ZLC, so that should be good fun haha.  My companions are great and I'm learning lots from them.  The Almeida family came to church on Saturday for conference and they are still progressing well towards their baptismal date, but the mom (Carmen) has a few obstacles, but we're working on them with her so that she can be baptized along with her 3 kids.  We bought a tie bale, but we haven't been able to look through it, it weighs a little over 100 lbs... like 114 or something.  haha- should be fun, I have lots of ties now, but feel free to send me some more :)  haha I love you all and I miss all my McAllen friends a lot!  (And don't worry SoJo friends- I miss you too, it's just that I haven't seen you in 2 years haha)  Love for everyone!  Reread the conference messages and share the Gospel with someone this week!  I love you!  Until next week!

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.