October 10, 2008

I really like all the photos that you sent. I thought the ones of sammy and her faces were pretty funny. She is starting to look so much older to me. The pond looks pretty good too. Is it done? The pinewood derby looked pretty cool too...who won? Im glad that you had a good birthday. It looked like it was a good day to go golfing. I was surprised to hear how hot it is there right now. I though it would have dropped a lot. Its perfect weather here right now. Im glad to be back in the short sleeve shirt...plus my tan line is pretty bad. Yesterday we were in the apartment of other elders and he told me that I had the worst collar line that he had ever seen. Its pretty embarassing when we go and do service and we are wearing normal clothes. Sometimes the argentines give us a hard time about it, especially the teenagers. Thats sweet that you bought out Bro Woods. I hope that the boat is still there when I get back. Some of the new investigators are still doing good. We have lost a couple to, excuses. Well its always hard to loose some. But we have some good ones still. So we have a baptism planned for the 1st of november. We are really working hard to get this too. Right now we are for sure having 1 on the 1st, but Im hoping that we will have 5 baptisms on the 1st. Well the other day while we were teaching a lesson in a mans back yard this lady climbed up on the fence and started saying that we were from the devil. This was in the middle of the lesson! She said look in their faces you can tell they are not from God, then she said that we would not be able to trap her neighbor, then she cast us "out" in the name of Jesus. It was horrible. We almost got really mad at her during the lesson but I stoped my comp. and then just began to testify to her. After ranting for about 4min she stopped and went off in her own yard chanting halleluya. It was so bad! The man we were teaching just shook his head at her and told us sorry. Havent seen her since, but we are definately going back to the investigators house. One weak lady like that cant even shake something that is built upon a "Rock."

September 30, 2008

Well guess what, Im still here in Chacabuco and my companion and I are really excited for this transfer. We recieved a few councils from the President on how to help our area. We put them to use yesterday, and found 9 new investigators in 1 day! It was so sweet and we are both really excited. Lots of miracles were seen. We recieved a reference from the missionaries in a different city. The reference lived so far out, about a 45 min. walk, but we went anyways. After finally finding the house we rang the door bell and this lady came out. She said that she was the sister of the reference and that her sister was sick in bed. We said we would come back in the week when she was feeling better and she said that she would tell her sister that we came by. Well as we were walking away from the house we started to turn the street corner and heard ¨wait.¨ It was the lady waiving to us and we came back. She said that her sister was getting out of bed and wanted to tack to us. We went back and taught a great lesson with both of the sisters. They both want to come to general conference this week. Its in another city but they have a car, so we are really excited. Then this other guy stopped us in the street and said that he had listened to the missionaries a long time ago and reads the Book of Mormon every day. Then he told us that he wanted an american flag. It was kinda wierd, but I told him I actually have one in the apartment. Well we went to his house last night with the flag. His whole family wants to get baptized and all know that the church is true. He asked me how much I wanted for the flag and I said that I wanted an asado...barbecue. So we are going to have a bbq friday night with his family. Pretty good trade! Well we are excited once again and know that the Lord is blessing us a ton. I hope that Ben is doing a lot better. I guess we just have to see the Law part of it all. The baptismal interview went great. It was a girl that is 15 and her sister that is 10. They were both a little nervous and excited. I started it sort of fun with them to let them feel comfortable with me. They got baptized sat. night I heard. The pinewood derby sounds sweet. Im sure that someone will do something retarded buy cool. I wish the we would have done that. Well have a good week. Love you.

September 23rd, 2008

I'm still here in Chacabuco because this is the last week of the transfer. We have interviews tomorrow with President Benton, and transfers end on Sunday so Im not sure yet. I think I will be staying though but am not sure. Well Im a little bumbed because the baptisms we had planned fell through. My district leader helped me realize that even with all our effort, people still have their own free agency. Then he told me about transfers during his mission where they worked so hard and still didnt baptize anyone. Oh well the work goes forward and yesterday we found 4 new investigators that are really good. Well I saw one guy this week that saw the fight. He told me that the guy I fought was his uncle and that he just got out of prison...5 years. He told me that he fought everyday in prison for 5 years straight...he was still weak weak anyways. Nothing other than that though has happend. When my leaders call me to get the numbers for the week they always ask me for the number of fights too. Im doing good though. Elder Alvarez too. We are going out with a member tonight to do visits, he is 20 yr old and is preparing for his mission so it should be cool. Well sounds like you guys have just had a crazy week. Ive been waiting all week to hear what all happend. After all that I hope that Ben is alright. So what are the police going to do? Obviously he got a ticket or something, and without a title on the car or anything? So whats happening with that part of it all? I was glad to hear of all the support he had though from all the friends and family friends. Thats cool that Wikoli passed his eagle board of review, just in the nick of time too. Im glad to hear that. Well dad Im doing good and am growing a ton. Friday Im going to Junin, about an hour away, to do a baptismal interview. Since we are in the country, the zone leaders are not able to come out and do it, so they asked me to do it. Im really excited for it too. There are a couple things that I have to study/memorize. Dad I know that this work is the work of the Lord, he has his own ways, and loves to bless us. Love you.

September 16th, 2008

Well this was a very crazy week. On Thursday we had a Family home evening set up with this missionaries family, and with his nonmember girlfriend. He recently left from here to go serve in Bolivia...so she obviously has interest in the church. Well in route to the family home evening, my companion and I were walking on one of the main streets in Chacabuco. While we were walking, I saw a man (about 30yr, 6´2, 200) arguing with his girlfriend while they were riding their bikes. I told my companion to "watch this" and right then the man through a bag of food he was carrying right at his girlfriend. We crossed the street quickly to get a better look of what was going to happen. While we were crossing the street the man jumped off his bike and pushed his girlfriend off her bike. Then he started to punch her in the face and she fell to the street. (Thats when my tie came off) I threw my books and tie down in the street and ran at the man. He was still hitting his girlfriend when I got to him and then we started going at it. I hit him a few times and he hit me a few times, but luckily none of his connected. I gave him a low leg kick after that and then tried to pull his girlfriend away from him. She wouldnt let me and kept trying to argue with him. Well he came back at me and we went at it again. Then he backed off and cussed at me and then spit at me. (The whole time I had a huge smile on my face) and I think he realized that he wasnt doing anything to me. So he took off on his bike and we had someone give us their cell phone so we could call the police. I tried to comfort the women a little bit and she told me thank you. I walked back over to my books and tie, which my companion was guarding the whole time because someone was trying to take them. I put my tie back on casually and we walked off. There were like 50 people watching and no one jumped in to do anything. Well we walked off to our appointment and the police stopped us in the street. They wrote down my name and saw that I was from the United States. They told me thankyou and said that I did the right thing. IT WAS BY FAR THE BEST THING THAT HAS HAPPEND!!! HAHAHA. I never thought that I would have the "priviledge" of doing that in the mission. Well after that the family home evening went really well. Dana the girlfriend of the missionary wants to get baptized, so hopefully the offices wont transfer me out for what happend. I called the offices that night and they said I did the right thing, but to try and not get into things like that, for the image. Well a few people stopped us last week in the street and asked if it was us who protected that lady. We said yes and they said, wow what a boxer you are. Hhahaha. Then one lady told me that I almost killed the guy. " Casi lo mataste" What a week. Then in Church we didnt have 1 of our investigators there. We were so disappointed and were wondering why no one had come. Then we found out why. At the end of sacrament meeting, Pres. Falcon allowed Marcelo, the crazy guy, to come up to the pulpit and ask forgiveness. Well he got up there and said some of the worst things you could say in Sacrament meeting. It was terrible and all the members were like what the? So I feel that God didnt allow any of the investigators in the church, because if they had heard what he said they wouldnt come back. The Lord has his own ways. Well Pres. Falcon felt really bad for letting him up there during the sacrament meeting, we all know that Marcelo is still crazy. Well that is what happend this week. We are doing really good and searching for new people and trying to protect the innocent...hahah. Love you dad.

August 26, 2008

My first week went really well with Elder Alvarez. We didnt get back till Wednesday so we had to really work hard from wednesday on to make up for the lost days. We found a number of new investigators and have been working with the members a lot. We have 3 baptismal dates as of right now and Im really hoping that they will come to church this next week. The dates of for the 20th of Sept. and the 27th of Sept. One is for this couple that is married and about 65 years old. We´ve been teaching them for about 2 months. The other is for this lady named Carmen. She was a street contact and the first lesson was so good that we decided to challenge her right then. She accepted and we are excited for her to progress and come to church this next sunday. I stepped up a lot and really started to challenge people more. Im trying to become more of a ¨challenging and testifying¨ missionary. More than just only teaching the lessons and waiting to challenge the person. My new companion has been working hard and only needs to get better on his workouts in the morning...usually this includes 20 min. on the toilet, a little bowl of cereal, and ironing a shirt. We have a little weight set so Ive been encouraging him to start using it. All of the 30 min. that we have to workout I am just trying to murder myself a stay in shape. Well we are going to Buenos Aires and the temple next week so Im excited. The best part of being the Senior companion is being able to run things and do them the way I like. Before, a lot of times I just had to follow so Ive learned enough and am really enjoying it. Im glad to hear that TJ is preparing himself to go on the mission. Im loving the experiances that Im having, and of course its difficult at times. I love you mom and know that there is no better place I could be than here in argentina sharing this wonderful message, this is the only way that these people will ever have the chance to hear it. Love you mom.

Birthday Letter

Hey Mom and Dad,Wow im an old man. 20. I got a cake and lunch and dinner. The Sanchez family organized a little party for me at night. It was so nice. I freaking forgot my camera today and apologize but I dont like to carry it much so it doesnt get stolen. Well all is well. We are having another baptism the 12th of april with this 18 year old girl who has been investigating the church for like a year. On sunday she came up to us and said what do I need to do to get baptised? I love when they do that. Well thanks for eating the large slab of beef to celebrate my birth. Im sure it was just wonderful. Well we ate ice cream and stuff and today is pday so we played tennis. It was fun. I got the video clips of alex and one of mom. They were funny and its wierd to see you guys on film. I showed my companion and he liked it. Well Ill be getting a new companion in 2 weeks, it will be pretty cool. I got a call from the mission president and his wife and they sang happy birthday. So did the other families who we ate dinner with so it was fun. We are searching for others and are teaching 2 families that have potential. We teach about 20 lessons a week. Dad your foot sounds like its still a little messed up but getting better. Sami looked so cute in her cowboy day pictures...tell her I love her and want to give her a big hug. Mom you scared me with the april fools, and I hope that dad still has a job...hahah. Everything is going well and Im going to buy a massive amount of ice cream in about 30 min. to shove down my face. Love you all and thank you for the scriptues. Working hard. Love Austin.

April 08, 2008

Hey mom and dad,> > This week has been great. The conference was really good too. We took the 2 Sanchez boys to the priesthood session. Then we went to one on saturday and the morning on sunday. I really enjoyed the talks. So for the Priesthood and sat. session I got to watch in english with the other newer missionaries. The Priesthood session started at 9pm! Thats usually when we are back in the apartment planning. We took a taxi and then it ended at 11pm. We were so tired and then took a taxi home. After we dropped off the Sanchez boys the taxi decided that it wanted to break down. This is after we have passed about 10 groups of the night crowd...not good. We get out and the driver is trying to start his car...nope. So we help him try to push start it nope. Well we are standing there at 12pm in a shirt and tie, the only white people, with blonde hair and it sucks. Luckily no one came up and tried to do anything. The taxi driver called another to come get us and we got to bed about 12.30. It was a day. Then for the sunday morning session all the newer missionaries are in another room for english. Its all calm and nice, we are talking english, have the fan going, windows open and we are sitting in chairs listening. Then the stake pres. comes in and says we need to change this to spanish and put chairs in here because theres not enough room for all the people. They brought in about 50 chairs into a tiny room. Then they brought in 2 tables for the elders to sit on. What the crap? It got so hot in there and we were sitting on tables. The entire stake center was completely packed and every room and chair was used. 600 in total. It was still a good session though. That afternoon we decided to go out and work instead of stay in the hot church with hundreds of people. We ended up teaching 9 lessons in 1 afternoon. This was amazing we were extremely blessed. We are having another baptism this week...saturday 12th. Its an 18 year old girl Estephania, who has been investigating for a really long time. We are excited for her. Well this week I ate chicken brain...hmmm. It tasted horrible and Im sending pictures in the next email.

Hey mom,> Heres a quick note. Wow im surprised that Bro. Riquelmes sister is in merlo. Im in a cyber in merlo right now. I go to merlo every pday! And I knew that BOCA...was his team. Everyone here is obsessed with that team. Yea the shirt is like a childs 6 haha. I sent it to adrian and think that it is way to small for her. I feel kinda bad about sending it because of her emotions and all. Well the chicken brain tasted like crap. Yep just about like crap. It was gross. Well I hope that scott gets out of the mtc and into the field. About the email. I can get it from anyone that is family. Like aunt lisas letter and all is all good. But from friends and stuff I have to write them. Yea that sub sandwich costed 8 pesos...$2.30. It is nice.

July 22, 2008

Hey mom,How did this last week go? How much longer are you going to stay at Grandmas? This last week was pretty good. We are teaching a number of investigators but no one has really stepped out that is ready for baptism. We are still waiting and looking. Also we are teaching a number of less actives. This last sunday it just happend to be the Sunday that the President, Relief Society President, and the Priest quorum President, and the music director didnt come. So NICE! My companion and I had to run everything. Including teaching the classes that we hadnt prepared for, giving talks, directing the music, and presiding over the meeting. So I dont want to hear that Bro. Matteson asked you to give a talk and you told him no. Hahaha. It was pretty crazy sunday though and went really well fortunately. By the way this week my companion and I cooked FAJITAS. It was the first time in 8 months that Ive eaten mexican food. We made homemade salsa and everything. I have not eaten anything spicey for 8 months either. The people here hate spicey food and dont eat anything close to mexican food. It turned out really good though. Well im doing good mom. Love you and all the family.

July 08, 2008

Hey mom,This last week was pretty crazy. We finally got our new President. I was pretty sad to see President Ramos go as he was such a good example to me. Our new Pres. is President Benton and he is about 5´5. He doesnt speak a lick of Spanish either. Poor guy. He is trying so hard though and has a huge responsibility to lead the mission. We had our transfer meeting yesterday in Buenos Aires. We took the 3 1/2 hour bus ride in then we walked to the train station to go farther into the city. While we were walking up to the train station the train all of the sudden stopped really quickly and a big group of people all gathered around looking at someting...(Warning could contain graphic material) So we made our way to the front of the croud to see an old lady without a head. Yes an old lady without a head. The train wheel was stopped on her neck and she was just laying there on her back. It was pretty grouseome to say the least. It looked like she had tripped while waiting for the train and bam. It got her. It was so crazy and the cops and fireman where just kinda looking at her like everybody else and just scratching there heads. Then I saw an ambulance drive up and said to my comp. they´re not going to need that. So then we got on the train and spent the night at the offices. The next morning we had the transfer meeting and were able to meet the new President who is such a great guy. His wife too. Both my companion and I are staying in Chacabuco and this will be his last transfer in the mission. We really want to baptize some more people this transfer and are going to work had to achieve this goal.
One more thing...I played the closing hymn in Sacrament meeting. Yep telling the truth. Not a simplified hymn either. The real deal. Ive been practicing any time I have a chance and have 1 hymn good, 1 hymn pretty good, and 1 other that is coming. Also I play all of Fur Elise now and am learning one called Italian Song. Not to shabby huh? Hahaha

June 24, 2008

Hey mom,The last couple days where really good. We had our baptism on Saturday and I got to baptized Vicente. All was well and I held him under just a little longer to make sure he was physically clean as well as spiritually. I had to help Dionisio the 81 year old get in and out of the font and he slipped going in and I almost got to be baptized again. Luckily we caught him and all was well. Both were confirmed Sunday at the meeting that I was conducting...hahah yea its true. We are helping this 11 year old Lucas a couple times a week with his English and his mom is a less active member, Im hoping that the rest of the family will get baptized because we teach church lessons along with english lessons. We also found a new lady named Pilar that really loves our message. She asked us why all NorthAmerican men are good looking and I said ¨I dont know why Im so beautiful.¨ Then she asked me if all women from Portugal where pretty. I said I dont know but im sure that some are pretty and some are not...then she said because Im from Portugal. Oh crap yea they are all pretty...hahahaha. Then we were walking in the street around town central and we heard some girls calling at us...like always, so we ignored them. Then one of them ran up to me and got me to stop. She said that one of her friends speaks english and wanted to talk to us so we stopped. Then this girl came up and started speaking english to us. She was a foreign exchange student from Canada. She asked us if we were going to the club that night. I said we dont dance and she said oh we can teach you. Oh great I thought just great, then I had to explain that we as missionaries have rules and cant dance and then she said well you can just come and dance and dont have to drink...apartently she knew the Mormons. Well we told her no and both walked away just saying dang it. Well Im doing good and so is my companion. Hahah we are staying away from the girls here.

June 19, 2008

Hey mom,Well I didnt bring my camera because I dont have it anymore. Little Crackers!!! Well monday evening we came back to the apartment at about 9pm. We unlocked the front door and walked in and everything looked normal. Then we walked into our room and everything was thrown everywhere. Someone had broken in and gone through everything. My clothes, books, shoe polish, everything was thrown around. Then we started to look for what was missing. My nice digital camera, $30 that was mine, my alarm clock, our cell phone, my companions nice digital camera, and $250 that was his. The person had jumped our front fence and opened one of our little kitchen windows that is about 2ft tall and 5ft long. He had knocked everything off the counter climbing in and then gone straight to the room. Its to bad that our window was broken and couldnt even lock. That night we pulled screws out of the cabinets and just locked the window shut. We slept with big kitchen knives that night. Well the next day we took the bus with the little money we had 3 1/2 hours to the city. We didnt have any more money to go to the temple and the hotel that we were supposed to go to at 5pm...so we showed up and the mission office and said that we got robbed and couldnt go to the hotel. They were surprised to see us and gave us money, lunch, and a ride to the hotel next to the temple. Well the temple session was great, we had interviews for the last time with President Ramos, and then guess who I saw!!! Elder Michael McNeil!!! All the missionaries said that an Elder had been looking for me and was from the South mission. I started to ask around all the missionaries in the temple and then started to change in the changing room to start our session. Then an Elder walked up read my name tag and said do you know Elder McNeil...of course I do. Then I followed him into the changing room bathroom and there was Mikey McNeil fixing his hair. We looked at each other and just gave eachother huge hugs and were just awwed to see each other. We took a picture outside of the temple in front of the fountain...not with my camera by the way. It was so cool. He told me that he was flying out that night to go back home at 9pm. And it just happend that we were both in the temple that day. So crazy. I was so happy to see him because we had been writing each other and I wasnt sure if he had gotten my letter. You should call them, if they havent already called you, and get him to email you the picture. Well we are back in Chacabuco and didnt have time to email till today. Vicente and Dionisio are progressing well and will be baptized this Saturday. I loved to read about Bens story. That is so funny. And then I cant believe that he broke his car. I wrote him and email but am not sure if he got it. I got a pic from Bro. Kaaihue of Dad at Philmont with his short hair and pack on...what a stud dad is. I hope the lawn boys have not broken anything these last few days and that Mrs. Old hag, Hilsabeck, and cracker little white boy who wouldnt pay me that lives down the street are all doing well. Tell Adrian to write me too. I love you mom and hope that you and sammy are eating all the RR dougnuts and flamming hott cheetoes you can manage. I know that Jesus is the Christ and this is the best place I could possibly be right now. Love you mom.

June 10, 2008

Hey Mom, Dad, and Adrian,This last week was a really good week and Im starting to get used to the ¨country¨ schedule. I mean all the traveling, studying after lunch and all. Here everything shuts down between 12pm and 4pm so we have to work a little differently. Every week we have to travel an hour there and back by bus to our meetings. Next week we are going to travel 3 hours to go to the temple, then we are going to stay in the church hotel rooms next to the temple that night, and have our zone conference and interviews with President the next day, then travel back 3 hours to our area. Its going to be pretty cool and crazy with all the traveling. Well the 2 men are progressing well and are still planned to be baptized for the 21st. I didnt tell you last week, but I gave my first talk here. I gave one in the MTC in spanish, but finally had to give one here. I talked about retencion in the church and it went well. I guess that the boys are gone now. They are going to have such a blast backpacking for the 10-12 days, and some ruff times too...hahahha.

June 3, 2008

Hey mom,I am loving chacabuco. The branch had 28 people in it last sunday. We have a normal chapel and its nice. I sat up on the stand and the President asked me to introduce myself and share my testimony. There are a lot of good people in the branch. We sing without the piano and I knew I should have practiced the hymns at home...just like you said. Well the last song we sang was ¨Oh creations of our God and King,¨ unfortunately the director didnt recognize the song and asked if I could direct the music, since I put the song on the list. Well I got up there and started signing my name in cursive in the air to direct the music. I didnt realize that no one else knew the song either and I was in front of them singing a solo. As you know I sing like crap. I was sweating so bad and started to laugh half way through the song. After it was over I was drenched in sweat and it was about 50 degrees in the chapel. It was so weak. Well everyone said something about it after the meeting and that it was a hard song. Our President is President Falcon. He is about 5'4, same as dad, and has a strong testimony. He actually visits the members and finds people for us to teach. In my last area one of my friends in the mission told me how many times it says in the scriptures ¨ask and ye shall receive.¨ Well I said that I wanted to baptize in this area and this week we found a man named Vicente. He accepted our message and invitation to be baptized the 21st of this month along with another Grandpa of a member. It worked. Well Im having a good time here. My companion and I get along perfectly and Im gratefull that I was called here. Elder Woody has been out for about 21 months and is well experianced. Cant believe about what those little boys learned about mowing lawns but I hope they actually learned it. Im glad to hear that ben graduated, wow.Love you mom

April 29, 2008

Hey mom,This last week went by pretty well. We taught a good number of lessons and found a couple new investigators. The families that we baptized are all doing really well but for some reason the Sanchez boys dont want to recieve the priesthood. We are going to work with them and the bishop is helping us also. They think having the priesthood is being a missionary all day. Yea I love Jesus the Christ and have about 30 pages left. Im on page 770 hahaha. It is sweet. I love the little bit of study time each day so I can arm myself before I enter into the streets. There are a lot of people that try to bash us...I feel so bad for them because they never succeed and these are people who have studied the bible for 20 years...its hard to beat the truth. I do hate to bible bash, but I love to [explain] with the scriptures. Well we are teaching 4 families that need to get married...crapo. It takes so much time to teach people who need to get married. We are also teaching this 22 year old hard core cop. He is trying to get into swat down here and its pretty crazy. Im going to take pictures with his gun and armour...hahahah. Yea. He really likes the elders. He also is not married but knows its true. Well that stinks about the lesson and not being able to find your thoughts. Its so true that you cant teach with the spirit. If I dont have the spirit I cant talk spainsh worth a dang and it makes things really hard, I always try to keep myself worthy of the Lords help. Well mom love you and Im going to write more in yours and dads email.

April 22, 2008

I ate facturas today which are like doghnuts. I got one that is a churro filled with carmel. It was so good. Thats to bad that you dont get to go to hawaii. And im glad that ben is not a air traffic controller. Haha. I know he could do it but just has to set his mind to something. Everyone knows that he is so smart and just needs to get his act together. So how old is grandma turning? Ill tell her happy bday. The sanchez family and estefania are both doing great. The whole family always comes to church and she made the list for missionary lunches last week....the best calling in the church. They have lots of friends though and the kids go to mutual. Tell sammy to get her butt/ bum...sorry back on the bike. None of the hatch kids will do that...except alex who learned when he was 14. Well mom I love you so much. Im glad that I was raised by parents like you and dad who put me on the path. I lived off of your testimonies until I gained my own when I was 14. I prayed as I was preparing the sacrament early before church and I was the only one in the chapel. I kneeled down back in that corner of the church and asked god. I was completely overtaken and can not deny what I felt. Im not sure if I ever shared that story with you but there it is. Love you mom.

April 22, 2008

Hey dad,This last week has been good. We are really trying to find people who want to be baptized. The couple we have been teaching is looking like they are not going to progress, but we are trying. We are teaching 2 women who want to be baptized but need to get married or kick out there boyfriends...great. It will take a long time for them so we are eagerly searching for others. Members help us a little bit. We have still not recieved one reference from members since Ive been in this area. But they will come out on visits with you. We had our first ward council meeting for 3 months. Hopefully things start moving. Well I do miss Elder Huff my trainer. He was a great elder and is from San Angelo. Hopefully I will get to see him after the mission. My new comp Elder Cooley is a good Elder also. He doesnt like to do contacts at all so this last week I was the one talking with everyone. He is good at teaching though and has new styles and examples that I can learn from.

March 3, 2008

We have a family that has a baptismal date. The Sanchez family. There are 5 of them. Mom, 2 boys and 2 girls. Its pretty cool. She has been to every church in the world and has not found the truth until we talked to her. She had a dream about someone giving her a bible that was not from her church and she knew that she had to change her religion so shes been looking. The only one that she hasnt looked at yet was ours. We clapped her door sat. night because we heard people inside and she came out. We shared the first vision with her, gave her a pamphlet and invited her to read and pray. Then she told us her dream and said she was interested in hearing from the mormons. Up till then we had only said we were from the Church of Jesus Christ then we said oh thats us we are mormons. She was really taken back and came to church the next day with her whole family. The date is the 22nd of March...we were happy that we didnt get transfered.

March 18, 2008

Hey mom here is my favorite breakfast of sweet breads, and also an easter egg I got.

February 04, 2008

Hey mom,Yep im still alive and doing good. My feet are a little sore, and my face is sunburnt but all is well. So the neighborhood is called villa posse, but the city is mariana costa, its about 30 min. from merlo. My companion is great. He´s from texas too and has about 2 months left so hes pSome of the people are friendly and some are really mean, but we like to start with a little joke or something to lighten things up and then tell them we are missionaries and ect. It really makes you want to work hard when you realize what you are as a missionary. Our apartment is not anything in the states but here its nice. It actually has a floor! Many of the members homes are dirt. We have a swamp cooler in our room which feels so good during lunch and at night. Our shower is open in the bathroom and gets the toilet and sink wet when its on. Its great though to be able to sit on the toilet, shower and brush your teeth at the same time in the same place.! Nice!

We actually stand out a lot here. Every once in a while you will see blonde hair blue eye but its pretty rare. Most of the people are fairer skinned with dark hair and eyes. Its pretty funny to walk through the streets and everyone just stares...some times I just want to say ¨what are you looking at¨ but then I rememeber that no one speaks English...retty old in mission years. We work a lot and always seem to get home late from working a lot. Everyone has fences in the front and back but there are just stray dogs everywhere I guess. Even dogs eating other dead dogs...Nice! Most are nasty with skin diseases, but some of the people have little puppys that are nice. Well got kissed by an old grandma. We are supposed to hold out our hands but she just came in for the kill. It wouldnt have been so bad if she had teeth and her pee bucket wasnt on the ground...hahahahahaha. Love you mom.

December 27, 2007

Hey mom, Merry couple days after Christmas. It was great here. Lots of good music renditions and we heard from Elder L. Tom Perry. Thanks for all the stuff you sent me. I had tons of candy on Christmas. We watch Mr. Kruegers Christmas and had lots of free time and stuff. We took a walk up to the temple and I just had fun being with my friends in the service. We got a good lunch and a sack dinner, haha. It was all good though. We had all the missionaries, 2000+ decked out with chimes. We all were lead and played carols with the chimes just like in primary. But with 2000 it was pretty crazy. So how did it go for you? What did everyone do? Love you mom