Monday, November 18, 2013

This Saturday we had a conference with the Area President and Elder Holland with the three Buenos Aires Missions. There were about 800 missionaries. We sang in a small group of 8 for a musical number. He said that there is probably no other group on the Earth more prayed for than the missionaries, and that we are the most visible part of the church. At one point he was going through D&C 50 and after reading v. 27 he paused and said "We don't even have a coast of an idea what we're doing." He said that all of us, even the Apostles, live far below our privileges.

He said that we should never speak of missionary work as "fulfilling an obligation" or that after we'll go back to "real life." He said that this is as close to real life as you can get. He started speaking about obedience and then said, "I don't feel that there are problems with obedience here. That's not the feeling I get. But it would be ridiculous if I had to speak about obedience! This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Why would there ever be problems with obedience!" He said that while he was the head of the committee over Preach My Gospel, the title was chosen very carefully from D&C 50. Quoting from that section, he made it very clear that in the words of God it is "MY" gospel. We cannot chose what to teach nor how to teach it. We teach the doctrine exactly as it is and by the Spirit. There is no other way. All other ways are "not of God."

The Church is true. The Gospel is happiness. All things contrary to the pure Doctrine of Christ and all of it's appendages are in a state contrary to happiness. I remember a sister who spoke in a devotional at the MTC who worked many years in the Church and with the MTC said that we should be so incredibly optimistic that people look at us and say, "Who are you?"

Monday, November 11, 2013

Elder Holland and Elder Christofferson will be coming to a conference this Saturday, and I'm singing in a small group for that conference. We will most likely sit in the stand because there won't be enough space in the congregation because three missions will be attending, about 800 is what they are expecting.

Things are starting to move again. We taught someone who lost his wife about a year and a half ago. They've been married for about 60 years. We've been working with a few less active families, and we're helping them get back. We recently reactivated one family, and almost all of the family on the mother's side are members. We're beginning to help them all come back. This Sunday, the grandpa came which was huge.

The pan in the apartment was well expired, so we bought a nice teflon pan. I really like it. I've been making pancakes in the morning. I almost made the perfect pancake today. It was exactly the right size, thicknes, color, consistency, moisture, and temperature. The only thing it lacked was vanilla in the batter to perfect the taste and smell. And syrup to eat it with.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Lots of things happened this week. We went to the Area General Offices of South America South Area and the Mission Home a few times. The last time there was an emergency transfer and I went back to Parque Patricios with Elder Allen, but the other side. The ward was happy to see me back, but I feel bad because I left again. Today I got transferred back into Baradero. After the three break-ins it´s odd coming back, but my companion is Elder Cutipa who was with me before in Parque Patricios.

I sang in a musical number this Sunday, and we will be singing it again in a mission conference coming up with General Authorities.

Because of a bunch of fiascos these last few weeks, we haven´t had very many lessons or teaching opportunities, but now we should be able to reconcentrate this week.

Monday, October 28, 2013

We were robbed two more times. The third time he came in through the back door, and we came in right as he was coming in. My companion went running after, but he got away. We've been looking for a new apartment, and President Ayre said that finding a new apartment is now our first priority. He is just a petty thief. He stole some coins, a small adapter of mine, my speakers (but not the iPod under it) and things like that. There are few things more disturbing than knowing that someone entered into your place and touched all of your stuff.

One of the elders of the office couple 

reminded us that there is always opposition when we are in this work. The robbery must be indicative that something very good is happening. We believe that, in part, the reactivation of a family a few weeks before and our helping them to go to the temple is the cause. We've been robbed the days before we go talk to them.

We've been all over the place. 4 days out of the week involve a bus for travelling. We average 1 night a week in the Zone Leader´s apartment. We spend over half a day traveling to district meeting every week, and every Thursday night we stay with the Zone Leaders because Baradero is too far away to get to the Offices on time for a rehearsal every Friday. We've also been to the Church Area Office so we had to stay with the Zone Leaders of the Mission Office areas one night without anything but our scriptures. Luckily the Mission Home had blankets and the church has another small apartment right next to the Zone Leaders where they keep mattresses, bedframes, fans etc. so we had a mattress. Between the days we spend outside of our area and trying to find an apartment we are having little progress and success in our area.

Even still, small miracles are happening. This area is being prepared, and there will be people very soon.

Don´t ever forget that Heavenly Father loves you more than you can possibly comprehend and will do everything possible to bring you back to Him. Just listen to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and lovingly obey. It can only bring us happiness.

Monday, October 21, 2013

My camera was stolen, but luckily I backed up the photos a few weeks ago, so I didn´t lose much, and I sent they key photos from that time already. They broke into the second story by walking on the corrugated roof. The window is plastic and can be forced open when locked easily. They only stole the mission´s DVD player (which was actually broken), my camera, and my companion´s camera. He lost over a year of photos.

We´re still trying to find investigators. We have a few potentials now, and most have members who introduced them to the Church. Some of them seem very prepared. Members and the Ward Council are key in all phases of missionary work.

There are so many doctrines in the world, and it would be ridiculous if it wasn't so terrifying. The Doctrine of Jesus Christ is simple, and easy to understand. Studying Preach My Gospel individually and as a family helps to strengthen testimony. When one has a clear understanding of the scriptures and this doctrine that it contains, it is so easy to bear testimony, because the simple truths are most powerful, and when obtained by the Spirit, they can be taught by the Spirit.

Monday, October 14, 2013

We went a whole week with no fruits, and then a member invited four friends to Church for a baby blessing, and now we have some investigators. We´re working with the branch to find people.

We´ve had such a slow week because we´ve been out of our area traveling for most of the time. We´ve only slept in our apartment 3 times this last week. The mission has grown dramatically. We have about 230 missionaries, and will have more. Even still, there are so many people here. Millions.

-Elder Damitz

Monday, October 7, 2013

The work has almost stopped in this area. This last week we only had 2 lessons. But, we´re going to bring it back. This Friday there was an Emergency transfer. My companion Elder Alder, left to another area, the Elder that was there went to another area, and the Elder from that area is now my companion in Baradero, Elder Dewitt. He´s from Arizona. We get along well as well.

We´re going to the Zoo as a mission tomorrow, but because we had meetings today and we´ll be going early tomorrow, we have to stay in the house of the Zone Leaders for two days because we´re so far out into Provincia. And I forgot my camera.

We still have no investigators. One of the most important things you can do as a member is Home and Visiting Teaching. The reason it is so difficult for people to do it is because the adversary knows that Home and Visiting Teaching done well is perhaps the most effective form of Christlike service within the Church. It is designed to serve every member of a unit spiritually and temporally. It is the most effective way to prevent a member from going less active, and could very well be the only way the leaders become aware of the needs of the members. This work is vital. Please do it.

Please also invite people to hear from the missionaries. The ideal situation is that members invite others to hear from the missionaries and are present during the same. This is easiest on everyone, it softens the hearts of those who will listen, the missionaries don´t stress as much, and the investigators immediately have someone to rely on and ask questions.

-Elder Damitz