Monday, June 27, 2011

Monday, June 27 2011

Wow i didnt recognize a few of the kids in the pictures. Well if this hasnt been a trunky pday i dont know what else has, i didnt believe that andy and judd would finish their missions, thats so crazy, time has flown by, i still feel like ill never finish the mission. I saw Danny and Josh in those pics, man theyve changed quite alot, it seems like so long ago... Oh man, it sounds like its been a crazy week, with the twins coming home and youth conference, here its been quite busy also. It sounds like the homecoming was quite amazing, they are powerful missionaries, if i could give a talk half as good at my homecoming ill be happy haha.
But in the meantime, this week we have two more baptisms, were completing a family, which is always so cool! Thats my goal here in corrientes, to complete families, because there are so many members that they are the only ones in their families that are members, therefore they loose enthusiasm and go inactive, we have three families that are part member families that are super progressing. Ive learned to become quite bold, or not having to go around things so im able to learn exactly why they dont want to get baptised, i can do it without them feeling wierd or mad so i think thats a pretty good trait, im hoping it will come in handy to help these families become members. Other than that there hasnt been that much progress, its been a week of organizing my time and efforts, i felt like i was spinning my wheels so weve been trying to get in the rythm of things as fast as possible, this week will be alot better, the people here are alot like Reconquista, so its a little bit harder than Formosa to visit people, but thats why ive been focusing on part member families. So i hope to make a difference here in Corrientes.
A very big challenge ive been having is the ability to recognize the spirit and to have him guide me in very aspect of the work, when i testify i usually feel his presence but as we are looking i rarely feel him guide me, so thats been quite the challenge and my greatest goal, to learn how my constant companion works with me, i wont get too far without him, and its frustrating, i dont want to waste time because i realize that i dont have much left, and this week we spent alot of time looking without a hint of sucess, i want every hour to be of worth, thats why i need the spirit so much, and to have him help me teach, and of course with the spirit its alot easier to not be trunky or sad, which is always a constant problem haha, but at least im used to it.
So ive been practicing my cooking skills when i have all of my duties done, and ive marianted some great steak, i think im getting better haha, i do love cooking, definately will become a hobby after the mission. Ill try to learn some argentine food, but its all about the same as the states, hamburguers, pasta, pizza, empanadas, thats all we eat, they dont have a large selection haha. Boring food.
Its so cold here lately, at least to me, i leave the apartment with four pairs of socks, my jacket, sweater, and a winter coat an elder gave me, and i still freeze my feet off! My comp doesnt feel it that much because he just came from Utah, but i came from Formosa and man what a difference, im not looking forward to the cold of Utah, i never thought id say that.... ive become steph!! Ill always be cold!
So this was the last week of my old mission president and now we have the new one, well at least thats what we were told but i havent heard anything yet, so we will see how it goes! Alot of changes will happen in July!
About the talk, i saw it here, a copy of the movie of his talk he gave there in the mtc, it was about Peter and the feed my sheep thing. Anyways it talks about these types of commitments being for life, it was super good, ill talk with the assistants so they can make me a copy, but maybe its prohibited...
Well thanks for everything, this has been a wierd pday, i cant believe their home, im mixed with emotions, im not sure if im trunky, or normal or what, but anyways, its wierd to think their home, well LOVE YA GUYS!!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Tuesday, June 21 2011

Wowa... is it really time for andy and judd to go home? i didnt think it came so fast, in fact i totally forgot until i just read the email, now im officially trunky haha, oh man. But im not that jealous, i have alot to work to do, i got transfered to Corrientes, Capital. Its like the catholic headquarters of our mission, and so its a super hard area, reminds me alot of Reconquista, the area is super beautiful and very nice, incrediably there is even a walmart!! oh man i thought i would never love the place, and mcdonalds also! The first time in almost two years that ive seen american stuff! Ha ha our apartment is full of peanut butter and salsa! So im with a newbie named elder Guest, hes super cool, from payson, and hes a hypnotist, so weve had some fun with that, i actually finally got it to work for me!! Its quite cool, as usual it amazes me to see how animated and better are the newbies than i am, man i remember when i was a newbie, i woudnt even be worthy to stand in their presence, they are going to be so much greater than i am or ever will be.
Our apartment looks alot like kim and genes cabin, smells like it too, its sweet! We have this balcony that overlooks all of corrientes, it has a picknick table and a bqq so we made hamburgers up there sunday for lunch! Finally i am able to feel like andy and judd when they talked about the missionary couple! In my district is the only missionary couple in the mission, The Larsons, from lehi, the sister is from mexico! so were going to have some fun! shes already made me salsa and we are going to make tortillas like crazy! They are a huge help! Finally a branch that are grateful for missionaries! Our branch is super organized, but i believe its because president and the larsons are always on everyones backs, we need to become a stake by the end of the year, 60 more melquisdick priesthood holders and were there, i need to baptise a man a month and reactivate a man a month, its crazy awesome here, finally i feel yet again that we are doing our work for a purpose! Im district leader again, i never got to feel what it was like to be zone leader, but oh well, i still get to interview everyone.

So we got some awesome investigators, i dont have too much time to explain them all but we have two that are particulary special, one who is named Carlos, hes reading three chapters in the book of mormon every day, along with two talks from the liahona and a chapter from gospel principles, hes awesome, he has some problems he has to overcome but im not worried, he has already expressed his commitment to continue to go even if they dont let him get baptised right now, we also are teaching a man named claudio, hes super cool, a true thug, tattoos everywhere, more scars than i had pimples, and was a hard core drug addict, he woke up one day and came to church, never wanted to live that life again, since then hes stopped, and is getting married friday... sweet!! Then we have a part member family! There is a little girl exactly like hannah, crazy and super smart! Shes 6 and isnt even member, yet she taught a class in the primary, so cool! Thier mom and two sisters arent members, but the two sons are, so we are working with the girls, and im sure they will get baptised. Oh we have so many but i dont have time to explain them all, but let me just say that thats the reason im not that jealous of andy and judd, because i have alot of work to do.
Sound like everything is going to go crazy this week! WAIT! as im writing this Andy must be on a plane!! Dude i thought they were going home next week but they write thursdays, crazy!! So let me know how that goes, i feel like i dont have any time, im so busy working, we have a hard time in front of us!
Mom i know we have pictures of the whole jacobsen side and the whole horrocks side, i would love if you could send me some! And also some fun pics from life(preferrably if im there) so i can complete my photo album to show people. THANKS!!
Also, i dont know how, but in January 2011, Elder Holland talked in the MTC in provo, and gave a very very powerful talk, i would love if you could find out how to get it, ive tried and i know you and dad are very effective in achieveing these kind of things, thanks!!
Tell laurie cousin (i think thats her name, she served a mission last year) that her trainee is in my district doing awesome!! and that i never ever got her letter!
So they say that this is a very dangerous area, i havent seen anything or anywhere crazy but to make things safe just keep me in your prayers =) Its so clean and normal here that i cant see how it can even be dangerous, but im used to formosa haha, you can tell danger by how dirty it is...
Anyways i loves yall mucho!! Keep on keeping on!

Monday, June 13, 2011

Monday, June 13 2011

Hola familia! Como estan? Life here has been great this past week, the usual. Half of the Britez family got baptised friday, it was a small simple baptism, three members came, but a whole buch of investigators came so at least they felt some support. This week for sure has been one of the funnest weeks in the mission, just the work and preparations for the baptisms and divisiones and stuff like that. I got to meet all of the coolest investigators from all of the companionships and that just makes life so much cooler to see so many interested people, thursdays we have family home evening in the church and it was fun to see all of those that i taught come to the activity, we taught them how to play mafia, it was a whole lot of fun. Then that same group came to the baptism the next night, they are so cool, then to a service project saturday morning and then stake conference downtown sunday! Which was pretty cool for people who arent even members to participate so much in the things of the church, if all goes well we will have a huge addition to the church that will already be used to attending activities, so hopefully they will be examples for the rest of the members. The baptism was very nice, the water was freezing and as i baptised the third person i had been in the water for more than 10 mins and it was so cold i could barely say the prayer haha. When my comp baptised one he was so cold that he said the prayer in english haha. It was very nice. We have three more baptisms this week and then two or three more in two weeks but im sure that i wont be here, wednesday is transfers and this time im pretty sure its time, i feel like i need to leave, i need a recharge, i felt like ive talked with everyone, i dont want to leave because i love the people and my friends so much but im not working near as hard as before, ive lost the drive to work so i feel like i need to change, but if not ill just have to change my attitude.
Wow a Ipad, ive heard of it but never seen it, im in formosa haha, Elder Tagge told me about them, but im excited to see how they are. thats cool that you guys are in nebraska, is there much there? So Morgan got engaged! She just told me! Thats pretty exciting but im pretty bummed that she gets married in august, so yet another weddding ill miss, STOP GETTING MARRIED WHILE I CANT BE THERE haha, i now forbid any of my friends to get married unless i could be there. Yesterday was one of my best friends last sunday in the mish, so i made him bruch! We had omlets, i have to brag a bit, ive become quite the chef hahaha, made pancakes this morning, you need to try and put marshmellow spread on pancakes with syrup, its so good! Well i dont have much more time but thanks for always writing me. Ill let you know whats up next week! BYE BYE

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Monday, June 6 2011

Whoa, Thats crazy to think that Andy and Judd only have three more weeks in the mission, its pretty much unbelievable, time really does fly by, it hasnt felt like its been 2 years at all, and what an example they have been for me, its going to be great to be able to see all of those pictures that they took in a couple months, and to hear about all of those sweet experiances! But as we teach every single investigator, its necesary to endure to the end, and that sometimes is the hardest part! Its hard to stay focused sometimes when so much new is at home and so many of my friends are finishing the mission, haha, but i do believe thats why they have us have a schedule, so that we dont have time to focus on stuff like that. But man it sounds like Chris´s wedding was awesome, i would have loved to be there also but duty calls hehe, that stinks that dad wasnt able to go, and wow! Taylor sure has changed alot, its been a very long time since ive seen him! Anyways, the mission is going well, its been quite tuff this week, the Britez dad, Manuel couldnt get to the church so about half of the family will get baptised this week and then half the next week, which is alright but i wont be here for the other half which is the sad part,.but either way they are doing awesome, many apostate members have visited them, because they cut hair, and theyve heard that they are going to get baptised and they are filling their heads with all sorts of stuff, but they dont listen, they feel good in the church and thats all that matters for them. All of the other
baptisms got postponed for this week, one of my investigator´s baby is super sick, it hasnt been able to eat for 3 weeks, it eats then throws it all up, and it hurts the baby so bad that it passes out, the worst thing ive seen in my life. So they are having alot of challenges. But a big difference in me now and from before is that the lack of success doesnt bring discouragement, only more opprotunities to change, become better and problem solve. I havent been the greatest missionary this
week, in fact, it was very very hard for me to put in practice everything that i need to do to be a missionary, i was super inefficent and it was very hard for me to follow the spirit, thats been the biggest challenge, im not sure why its like this but im figuring it out, ive come to realize that my prayers and studies are
sloppy, therefore i believe thats whats leading to being a sloppy missionary, but ill get it all figured out, i truly dont feel like god is satisfied with my work ive been doing this transfer, every sunday i dont feel the satisfied feeling that should come when one feels the spirit, and thats the frustrating part, im not sure what to do but ill just have to step it up and start being what i need to be, thats
the hardest part haha, i feel like i dont have a strong mind to be able to achieve my goals but im working at it, anyways, im glad to know everything is going good at home, i hope mom and dad have a great anniversary this saturday! HAHA i remembered! Loves and see ya all next week.