June 2, 2009

We are going to baptize another youth this week. His name is Jose Luis and he is 17. He was just a contact in the street and now hes getting baptized. Also we found a part member family last week. 3 of them are not baptized and want to get baptized. Mom I too am so grateful for having been born into this gospel. I have recieved so many blessing for following the commandments too but I still have so so far to go. I love the Lord and the time that we have to make ourselves more like him. How is sammy girl doing? Is she excited to start school up in August? Hhaha. I cant believe that she is already starting school. Whenever I start teaching a family and they have a little daughter I always tell them about sammy and show them our family pic by the river. They always say, ahh what a little doll she is with her blonde hair. They are just crazy about blonde hair here because nobody has it. I guess its like the girls over in the U.S. and wanting to be tan. Its just the opposite here. Hey Ive got a dumb question. Does bunny still have her tacoma? Because if she does I want to buy it. Last week one of our district leaders Grandpa died. He was pretty shaken up about it so we took him to eat breakfast after the district meeting monday. We told funny stories and he is a lot better now. His name is Elder Frost and he is from Flagstaff. We know the plan of salvation though. It gives us all hope.

May 26, 2009

Sounds like your doing really good and so am I. The area is going great and we have a ton of investigators. We had 3 in church which is alright but they were 3 really good ones. We always go and look for people to bring them to church. We had a baptism saturday and have 2 planned for the 6th. Surprisingly neither are the boys who are still smoking. We always find new good people. Both for the 6th are youth. One is 16yr boy, and the other is a 17yr girl. By the way thank for writing so much and for having alex write me too, it makes everything so much better. Oh man walnut creek. You have no idea how much my comp and I talk about mt biking. I cant wait but Im glad that Im here too. Obviously. So my comp wants to see a picture of my bike. But I dont want it to have big bertha on it if you know what I mean, the seat. Hhahaha. Your memorial day weekend sounded perfect. Tennis, mt biking, burgers...all the necesary, except you didnt take out the boat. Next weekend? That cool that Ben is doing good at autozone too. Cleaning up is FUN to do, hahahah. Sammy is getting so smart. I want to walk her to school a couple times when I get back. So about the Priesthood question. Well today it would be called the Melquisedek Priesthood, but in ancient times it was called the Priesthood of Christ I think. In D*C it explains that they changed the name of it so we would not use Christs name so much. Is that the answer? Mas o Menos? Hhaha. Love you mom so much. By the way my comp when he saw the pics from lake gtown said, thats your mom? She looks ripped! Hahaha thats my mom.

May 19, 2009

We are still working hard with some of those boys to quite smoking. Yes we can give them blessings to stop. Thats a good idea because we havent yet for these two. We have some really great investigators right now too. We called this older man last night to see if he had prayed about his baptismal date the 6th. He said he did and feels great about it! I was so happy because he is so cool and is kinda like an older cowboy. His name is Andres and he is a carpenter. Pretty cool. My comp and I are doing great and are happy. We get down about investigators and when they dont complete but we get over it. Oh man what I would do for a sleep number bed right now. I sleep well anyways though wherever I am because Im always dead at night. Not having nice stuff has really changed my outlook too on a lot of things. I could live without a ton of stuff after and be happy. Plus I recognize all the luxuries I used to have that I wasnt greatful for. Funny how little you appreciate somthing till its gone.

May 5, 2009

Thats funny that you looked up Oeste. And yes I do know Elder Ranquist. He is really skinny and has glasses. They recently just baptized a ton of people. So the zone is going really good and all. We have 4 companionships of Elders and 3 companionships of Sisters. Its pretty cool. We also had a meeting with the zone leaders and president in his home. He took us all to eat at this sweet restaurant too...it was so good. The new area is really good. This 10yr is going to get baptized this saturday. We had 2 new investigators in church too and they really like it. So Sunday is Mothers Day! We are going to call home at 7:30-8:30pm here so Dad will have to convert the hours. But it will be in the afternoon. Im so excited to call you. Well the crazy pig flu is still not in Argentina. As usual Im sure that there is more noise about it than there should be. Im sure the new Elder lost a bet or somthing or he just doesnt have a lot of ties, how embarassing. I heard from Dad about Dennies shoulder. Oh my. How embarassing. Poor guy though, I really like Denny Lowe. Thats funny what Trish said. Im glad that Ben likes his work. Thats so funny about Sammy girl too. Listening to rap...hahaha. She is not black. Hhahaha. So Alex is going to have his first surgery. Im sure more will come. HAhahaha. Hope it turns out alright. Is cutknee going to do it? Mom I hope you have a (GREAT) your favorite word, day. Im happy here and doing good. The Lord is helping us so much. Many people are responding to the invitations to come to church.

April 28, 2009

Guess what? Im not in villa madero any more. I had completed 6 months in the area and it was my time to go. We did baptize Sis. Quiñonez the last saturday and it was a great baptism...the water was a little cold. Her husband was there and came to see her confirmed too and they were holding hands the whole time. He is still struggling with smoking and will be able to overcome it. He asked me before I left he I could baptize him when he gets baptized. What a good man. Well I have been called to be a zone leader in Oeste with Elder Grange. We are already really good friends in the mission. He has one transfer less than me and we are really excited to start this transfer. I know that the Lord will help me as I strive to keep myself worthy of his help. This is his work and I know that. Im glad to hear that grandmas party went so well. I wish I could have seen it. Grandma is such a great women, and funny too. You are too mom. Thats to bad about ben and mama fu´s. I always laugh when I see that name mama fu´s. Everybody sounds like they are doing good. Cant wait for mothers day either.

April 21, 2009

Sounds like all the plans are coming together for grandmas bday. Thats going to be so fun. I just got a package from them. In it was a roundvalley hat and shirt. They are so nice. Dad tells me that spring is in full there in Austin. Im sure its nice. I dont really remember what a flower looks like or what good smells like so you´ll have to remind me. I walk past dirty diapers eaten by dogs, burning trash piles, and open sewage all day so I dont really know what nice is. Its all good though. Im still kickin. But Im a little bit sick right now. Well guess what happend during the baptism of David...aka coki. He showed up with his dad and his dad said he will not be getting baptized. What the crap! Everything, everything was ready. Lots of members came and all. His dad felt pressure from his brothers and called it off. This is after signing during the week the baptismal papers. Little cracker. We were so mad and sad. But a few days later and its mostly gone. Plus the Dad of the quiñonez family cant stop smoking. Oh Man! It cant be that hard. Just do it. We gave him a blessing and all. We check everyday how many he has smoked but nope. His wife, alejandra did stop though. She wants to get baptized and wants me to do it. So that made us happy again. We played soccer today too and the latins shut us out. Not really. Ok so tell sammy girl that I love her and hope she is doing well too. I love you mom and am always praying for you. Hope the party goes well.

April 14, 2009

The parents of Brenda got interested during the lessons and then the mom went to the baptism. She told us that she wanted to get baptized after seeing the baptism of her daughter. Then the dad watched a church video with the family and said well I guess I better get baptized too. We are so excited for them. The only thing is that we have to get them to stop smoking. They are already almost stopped. We also are going to baptize another young man named David. We finally got permission from his catholic hard headed dad. Thats cool that Todd was called as the President of the quorum. He is such a good man. Im glad that Ben finally got hired at Autozone too. It will be good for him and for his interest in cars. The navy seal story. HO HO HO. That is so raw. When I read that from you my blood started to shoot through my whole body...gggrrrrrrr. HO HO HO. Ok yea Im a little weak weak right now as a missionary but its still there. That pretty funny that Mike Ringwood was one of your old boyfriends. And yes Im glad to be called a HATCH. Plus I didnt want to grow up in Utah. Im sure he did. Thanks for all the advice and Ill be sure to stick to it. We are really working hard and are happy because the spirit is with us.

April 7, 2009

All is well here. This morning I scrambled some eggs and put that good hot sauce on them. Then a couple hours later...after washing all my clothes by hand(did you know that Ive done that my whole mission) I sat down and ate chips and the bean dip. Then i drank some country time just to bring me back for a little bit...hahaha. It was so good. The conference was awesome. We saw all the sessions except sat. afternoon. Hollands talk was amazing. Also I was able to see the Anderson really was the chosen of the Lord. Eyring spoke with power as always. And Monson is just the man of God. I know that he personally speaks with Christ and the words that he says come directly from the Lord. Wow it was sweet. Priesthood was also as always. We had 5 investigators there. Guess what the parents of Brenda(12yr) want to get baptized...and they are married! Yes the President showed us really how to do it with love for the people. Somtimes I walk around with mad face...like our old suburban(hahah)...to keep us from getting robbed. It works I think...but then I smile when I see people. Pres lived in Boston before coming here. I hope that all will go well with the choir and easter. A few words of advice...just dont screw up...hahahah. No just kidding just have fun with it like your friend said. So we are working hard and happy with ourselves and the work. The district is really kicking and we have the best numbers in the zone. Besides for the family fight that happend during dinner all was well last week. The food was really good though. Dinner and a show. Well Mom I love you and am gratefull for all your prayers. During the conference I felt, my parents are watching right now too.

March 31, 2009

Ill be sure to send the email if I still have it. Happy bday to me! I got yours and Adrians packages yesterday! So I got some good stuff. Adrian sent me a sweet fish tie, snickers bars, nutterbutter, facewash, and floss, letter from todd and her. My mexican companion was so happy at all the stuff you guys sent me. The salsa, chips, jalepenos and all. So we are going to have a little fiesta this afternoon. Then we have 3 parties from different members! So im doing really good and feel a little bit older. So Brenda got baptized last saturday and the kid didnt. We talked with his parents and the dad said it would be his own decision that it didnt really matter to him, and carlos had already told his dad that he wasnt going to do it just so there werent any family problems. Well we werent able to find him till the other day so he will be getting baptized some other day. He has a very strong testimony and wants to be a missionary. Somtimes the Lords time is just not ours. Thanks for praying for him though, he really needed it. Guess what, we also had divisions with the president last week. We got selected randomly out of a bingo and he stayed with us for 24 hours. Slept in the apartment, did exercises, ate with us and walked all through the villa visiting members and investigators. He really showed us how to do it, even though he was never a missionary before. What a good, powerfull man. Well he lived in houston for 16 years so I asked him if he ever went to Matagorda island to go fishing. He said of course all the time. Well we talked a lot about that and he sent me a picture of him in his 30s with a huge stringer full of fish at the texas coast. What a cool president. He also sent us m and ms in the mission mail with a note saying thanks for the best divisions. It was great. Thats cool that the trail now goes all the way through, by the time I get home it will be all the way to Grandmas house. Well from your note I got a few things. Special forces... A OF WILD. hahahaha. You managed to find the word Cracker, in the scriptures. Hhahahah. It was all pretty funny. Thank you so much for all the good stuff you sent me and the letters. I really enjoyed them. Well Mom I love you. I know that the Lord does too.

March 24, 2009

My new companion is great and is a little Peruano. He likes to eat fish and hates vegtables with a passion. Hhaha because saturdays we eat with this german member who only gives us vegtables...literally. Yes of course I kept the gifts, the other elders are good too. One of them is still here in the apartment and we are really good friends, the other is in a new area and his comp. is always sick so he never leaves the apartment. Hes not complaining. Well we have 2 baptisms planned for sat. One is Carlos 18yr and the other is Brenda 12yr. Carlos told us in the morning that his parents said no. Well he still lives at home so we need their permission. If you and the family could be praying for him that would be great. He has such a strong testimony and wants to get baptized so bad. Poor guy. He started to cry when he was telling us. Him and I are really good friends.

March 10, 2009

The baptism went really well and so did the interviews. All the people were very well prepared to be baptized. We are also going to have 2 more baptisms this saturday to finish the transfer. And yes Im going to be tranfered and am a little nervous. I have 4 and a half months here and will be leaving. The district is doing really good though. 2 of the elders we live with have an extra interview with pres. tonight. I feel really bad about it being their leader and having to have told the things they need help with. Im afraid that they will be very mad at me and that they will say look, hes a leader because he told on his friends. Dangit. Thats how the mission is somtimes. Pretty rough position right now. I havent heard from some of the converts. I got a letter from the sanchez family about 2 months ago. They said they are doing good and know the church is true. Unfortunately they are offended too because a member robbed them supposedly. Dardo is active and comes to everything. I havent heard from vicente either. But I wrote them all letters and should be hearing from the missionaries in my last area this monday which is tranfer meeting. We dont explain all the things that you said to the investigators. We do say though that we are not perfect as members. But what can you do somtimes? Well keep it up with JW. I know that he is going to be baptized someday.

March 3, 2009

Thanks for being my mom. I had one of the best spiritual experiances this week. I blessed the Clemente family baby in sacrament meeting. I thought that I wouldnt do that till I had my own, but she kinda felt like my own sunday. Jose the Dad carried her up to me and then I took her and went up to the stand. We blessed her and it was so cool. I had to give her her name too as you know, well her name is Jeraldine Veronica Clemente Castellon! Pretty long. Well I wanted to present her to the ward like in the Lion King but didnt feel that it would be apropriate so I did it in the normal way and everybody said ahhhhhh. We also just got back from the temple which was great. Well tell Ben that I saw a grandma get hit by a bus and some kids get robbed this week. Poor guys and lady. The grandma appeard to be alright though. Well we are going to have 3 baptisms in the next 2 weeks. Ive got a lot of baptismal interviews to do also. We are really cranking. Yes the heat has been dropping a little. Yesterday and today are cookers though. I just kinda got used to being wet all the time, it doesnt bother me so much in military fatigues or a swim suit, but in church clothes that are nice it bothers me a little. Well thats enough wining.

February 24, 2009

I saw your pictures from Mexico, you little lucky crackers. Hhahahah. Looks like you and Dad had a blast. The ruins looked so cool and so does the nice beach. Tell me about it because I still havent seen an email from you, whhhaaaaa! How did sammy do at home? Did you get to see my pictures that I sent from the service and baptism? All is well here. We have interviews with Pres. this Friday so we got our haircuts today. While my comp was getting his cut this lady started to ask me questions about the church. We started chatting and at the end she asked me from a blessing of comfort. I gave her one after my comp was done, and the haircutting lady said that she wanted one too, so we gave her one too. Kinda funny, right in the haircutting place! We had 4 investigators in church on sunday even though it was pouring cats and dogs. We had to go bring one to church in a taxi. Well 2 have baptisms planned for the first 2 weeks in march. Pretty cool. The district is doing good and the leaders are happy. My comp and I continue doing stuff to keep the excitement up in the street. He likes to introduce me as Elder Nasty, he says nasty in English. The people think its my name and I just laugh so hard and they dont really get it. Sharron sent me a really nice email. Tell her that I got it and really enjoyed hearing from them and all. So did you get sunburnt? I know that you dont like to put on sunscreen. I got burnt last week pretty good too during the service. Its cooled off here a little though, finally. I can sleep more at night. You cant open the window either or your feet just get torn up by mosquitos. Yea that happen too last week. Im good though and happy. I love being a missionary.

February 17, 2009

This last week was really good. Yes we did have those valentines baptisms. A ton of family members came to see ours for Sonia, now we are teaching all of her family! It was really great. So I hear that you and Dad are off to Mexico. To bad Im not going too so I could translate for you all. Enjoy the food. Thats too bad that they had to baptize so many times. I hate when its not just done on the first time. Body slam, ahhahaa. Thats cool about your experiance in the temple too with that name. I love experiances like that. I know they dont come often but they do come.

February 10th 2009

Im doing really good. We are tearing up the area too. Just destroying it. I feel bad for the next missionaries here because they are not going to have anybody to teach. We are having a baptism this Saturday! Her name is Sonia and she is 23. She found the church with her family in Buenos Aires but lives in our area! Her family member stopped us in the street and said, hey Ive got a baptism for you. Miracle. We also have a ton of other investigators that are progressing. Well now as district leader Ive got to get numbers from the other missionaries, see how they are doing, take care of problems with them, inform the zone leaders of thing, do divisions, baptismal interviews, and stuff like that. Im really excited to have been called. The district is us, the 2 other elders in our apartment, and 2 others that live in the next city. We are all having baptisms the 14th! NICE! Thats sweet that the work is going good there too. Well Poor Ben. He just needs to keep working and go back to school, what the crap. Surely by now he sees that he needs to be in school. Well how are the songs going? Teeheee . Hhahahaha. Mom I hope that your flu is gone. Im feeling good and just ate some empanadas like Sis. Riquelme gave us. Love you and love the Lord. -Austin