Monday, June 16, 2014

This week we had the lowest number of lessons taught since I've been here. We've lost all of the few investigators we've had. Even still the week went well and we've been working with a number of less-actives, and we've found a few new less-actives.

We helped our ward mission leader clear up a property of theirs. We found a dead animal in a plastic bag, so we buried it.

We had stake conference this weekend, and Elder Viñas of the First Quorum of the Seventy came. Saturday night we had a session with the leaders of all the wards and the missionaries. There were about 5 questions that were openly discussed by those who were there. At one point he stopped and said, "Bishops, how many of your wards are holding ward council?" No one raised their hand. He then said that the Spirit had told him that that was the case, and that is why he asked. Pres. Ayre spoke in that session and in the general session on Sunday. The themes were very focused on missionary work. He also said that we really shouldn't do things if we don't feel it. If we pay tithing out of an obligation to keep a temple recommend, we're not doing it right. If we do missionary work out of an obligation to the Church of the missionaries, we're not doing it right. He then referred us to Moroni 7.

Elder Viñas said that being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ does not make one a disciple of Jesus Christ. It is certainly required to be a true disciple of Christ, but it is just one part. He related the Gospel to how his grandmother would make lentils and that they didn't like to eat lentils so they would ask for something else. His grandmother would respond that that is what there is to eat, and if they didn't want it they didn't have to eat it and could go to bed hungry. He said the Gospel is the same. We can't change it. We can't change that we must repent, or obey the Word of Wisdom, or pay a full tithe. We can only choose whether or not to do these things.

The World Cup is going on. Everything shut down Sunday when Argentina played. It's difficult to work when everyone only wants to watch or talk about the games, especially when in comes to Argentina. The flag of Argentina is everywhere. Some cover the hoods and trunks of their cars with a flag. It's hung from houses and kids run around with little Argentine flags.

Monday, June 9, 2014

This week we started working with a former investigator, Eliana. She really wants to listen to the missionaries and come to Church, but her parents are against her doing so. We'll probably have to end up teaching her someplace else. We've found new people to teach, and we're happy that we've been able to step out of the box a bit.

We've been working with the son of a recent convert of about a year who has been a member for about 15 years. His mom had no idea he was a member. They're both wanting to come back to Church. We're really happy for their progress.

This Saturday we were asked to give a number of blessings. It was a very interesting day. We had just enough oil.

We've been working a lot with less actives, and while we're happy for the progress they're making, it's a bit hard on missionaries. One of the assistants, Elder Krivochiev said that all our lives we can help less actives and recent converts, but only in these two years we have the authority to teach and baptized investigators. While we love teaching everyone, missionaries are happiest teaching investigators.

I scored 4 goals last week playing soccer. I'm getting a lot better.

It looks like it will rain this week. It's been getting colder.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

This week I got sick and stayed in the apartment for a day. Sis. Ayre told me to buy a nose spray and a decongestive. I didn't realize that the spray was a vasoconstrictor. It works really well. The next day I felt much better and we went back out.

We´ve been finding more people, and we're pretty excited. Things are getting better here and we have a few families that we're working with. We found a former investigator who lost her son. She and her husband only received visits from the missionaries out of all of the religions that came by her house. We found out that Sis. Elisabeth knows her, so she will be accompanying us.

Transfers came and Elder Peralta and I are staying in Pablo Nogués. We both felt as thought that was going to happen. This will be the first time I have a companion for two transfers and stay in an area for three transfers.

Monday, May 26, 2014

This week rained a lot. I liked the rain, but other people do not. This makes it hard for missionary work. We didn't have as many lessons as we had hoped for, and no one came with us to church.

We're working with Sis. Elisabeth's daughters. They both are interested in the Church and have had wonderful experiences. We gave a blessing the the younger who is 17 when she got very sick for a long time a few weeks ago, and immediately she was able to sleep and recovered quickly. Sis. Elisabeth is now having problems with her leg and has been going to the doctor.

We came across a 14-year-old member of 3 years who has already gone atheist. Her dad is infamously hostile against the missionaries and religion, and says that the Church is part of the "American Empire." Her sister is the President of the Relief Society who is amazing in her calling and is really deeply converted despite her husband and her father (and her son) who are all atheists. We had a nice conversation, and we got her to think about things differently. We hope it will go somewhere. We felt the Spirit touch here a handful of times.

Today we went to the temple. It was nice to go back there.

Monday, May 19, 2014

Sis. Elisabeth´s dad passed away this week. His health became very rough at the end. She's taking it very well and is still active in Church and is looking for work.

This week we had interviews with President. They went well. We usually recieve instruction from the Assistants, and we explained to them the things that were happening in our area, and Elder Ferreiros said that our Zone Leaders had to go on exchanges with us. Usually when there are exchanges, people start to show up. Instead of going on exchanges with us, both of the Zone Leaders came to our area and we split up the area. We had 10 lessons and found 4 people. Things started picking up from there.

The Sacrament Meeting attendance is going up. Bishop Godoy is very happy. Things are looking much better. We'll probably have a lot more work this week. We have a number of things to do and instructions from the leaders in the ward. We took the sacrament to Hno. Gonzalez and Juanita who didn't come to Church because he got sick.

It rained a bit this week. I really like the rain. It's also getting colder. I really like the cold.

Monday, May 12, 2014

We had a conference with Elder Gonzalez, the Area President this week. Periodically he goes by all of the missions. It was a very instructive meeting. I went on exchanges to Vucetich with Elder Nureña, the District Leader. Their area seems to have a steady flow of people, and a good group of investigators.

Sis. Elisabeth's dad's liver failed, and the discharge has made it's way up to his head, making him go a bit crazy. The doctor said it would just be a matter of hours until his heart stops, and that was a few days ago. We'll be going by today to see how things are.

We got to Skype with our families yesterday in the evening. We went to the Gonzalez's house. We went to Tortugas today with the Elders from the Cabaña. I bought shoes for soccer, because it's pretty uncomfortable with the shoes that I had.

A few weeks ago it was announced that we'll be going to the Temple soon. It's not often that we get to go. It's getting colder here, and it's been raining off and on yesterday and today. I like this weather a whole lot more.

Monday. May 5, 2014

We finally have a Ward Mission Leader. The Bishop asked us to participate in his setting apart after the meetings. We'll be forming a Ward Mission Plan this week, something that the ward has been needing. Bro. Gonzalez is very excited to fulfill this calling, and we hope we can work harder. The Zone Leaders said that they felt very specifically that there are people in this ward who are ready, and we have felt the same as well, but we can't seem to find them. People don't seem to accept us in street contacting, and going through the less active list doesn't seem to be helping.

The father of Sis. Soria, a recent convert, got really sick two days ago and is in the hospital. He took a really bad turn. Within a day he developed pneumonia and his skin turned yellow.

I'm learning a lot of Guaraní and Bro. Gonzalez is giving me a dictionary. It's almost impossible to find here in Argentina and they're really expensive, but they're really cheap in Paraguay, and his sister will bring one of his from his house in Del Viso.

Sis. Vallejo and her kids left to Corrientes. Bro. Vallejo will still be here for a few weeks, but he'll be leaving soon as well.

Elder Peralta said very clearly to some members that being a member does not elevate us. We should not hesitate in sharing the Gospel.