15th Week Out, Jardin America Week 9, "Completed a read of the Doctrine and Covenants."

Hi everyone,

So.. I heard about Arnie Peterson. I hope everything is alright with the Peterson family. If someone could tell Andrew Peterson to write to me I`d love to talk to him.. Poor guy..

But, about my week...

I finished the Doctrine and Covenants today. That was a lot. Like in every way possible. I LOVED IT!  I love reading! I can`t tell you guys enough, I wish the Book of Mormon was longer. Or the Doctrine and Covenants. I`m going to move over to the Bible after the Pearl of Great Price.  If anyone has any good books, feel free to hand it over to my parents and they`ll send it to me and I`ll read all of it.

Super great week, we had another baptism. Her name is Elizabeth, she is 17 her Dad died about 7 months ago, and her mom basically left the house and randomly comes back. But I guess everything is fine now because she goes to visit her mom. Elizabeth reads in EVERY SINGLE DOCTRINAL BOOK WE HAVE in the church. She loves the deep deep doctrine. Which kinda freaked me out at first because first of all I don`t have any answers for what she wanted, my companion had to help with that. And she also could have gotten into something she thought was weird and could have stopped having us teach her.

BUT she got baptized and now she wants to be a missionary! So we are talking to her about missionary work and the Temple. She is going to come to our District meeting tomorrow. The funny thing is that we have the smallest District in all of my mission. It`s just me and my companion and two other sister missionaries. I think she will love it though!

Anyways! How is everyone!? I`ve passed my "100th day" int he mission mark. If anyone wanted to celebrate for me! Haha! That's a bit over 8 million seconds.  I am doing awesome, still just getting the language down and stuff. Missionarying and all that greatness.

OH ok so actually today we just found that someone or some people had thrown 2 stones into our church building and broke a window. So we called the president of the branch we have out here and he called the police. So they`re all working on that!

Thank you...everyone that reads my emails!

Impressions of Jardìn Amèrica:

• Out here they LOVE the LED lights. They put them on all of the trucks and motorcycles. Every car I see just about has the entire thing lit up by some LED`s. It`s pretty cool. Mostly green and blue I`ve seen.

14th Week Out, Jardin America Week 8, "Changed Apartments and 16 People at Church"

HEY Y`ALL!

Can I just say; I dislike this keyboard I am using, sorry if there are spelling errors! Ha!

So! I`m just locking in now on my mission. It`s kind of like a car, I`m all buckled in and I know where I`m going. I`m just picking up speed. Elder Eddenfield says it`s going to go by so fast! I keep telling him no.

We had a goal of getting 40 people in the church this last week. WE ALMOST GOT IT! We were just missing about 24 people. Yea we had 16 in the capilla! That`s including me and my companion! I don`t know what happened but were going to find out this week where the leak is! We have one investigator who apparently may be the best investigator I have ever found. According to my companion.

She is 17 and her name is Elizabeth. We just found here one day trying to teach her sister but she was not at her house that day. She just walked up and was like "¿¡Què hacen ustedes!?" Which means What do you guys do!? 

And then she came to church every single Sunday for the past 6 weeks. And she studies every day in the Book of Mormon. She apparently got a Doctrine and Covenants somehow. A gospel doctrine booklet. She has a freaking FAITH IN CHRIST book too which she hasn`t started reading! Which I actually hope she doesn`t start reading it yet. She has too much deep doctrine already.  She seems to be doing fine with it all which is amazing. We have already gotten her baptismal interview all done and she now wants to go and be amisionera for the church!

Basically, my companion said that she is a "Golden Investigator" She wants my old companion Elder Evans to baptize her, and me to confirm her into the church and give here the Holy Ghost! I`M SO NERVOUS! I barely can speak this language. And I have to give her a blessing! I`ve done it once already with that first family we baptized but I still get nervous! Haha!

We got a new apartment today! Literally we just showed up and the guy was like yea! NO contract, just move in, whenever you want! Today if you can! So we got the office Elders to bring their truck down and we moved everything today! I`m SUPER TIRED! And I`ve never seen a more filthy fridge in my life. The bottom of it had things from the unseen world!

I`m writing so much! Sorry!

If anyone has seen Paul, Mark or Blake! I HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR EMAILS YOUNG MEN! PLEASE FEEL FREE TO TELL THEM TO EMAIL ME! THANK YOU!!!!! 

Ha! Love you guys! I hope every day just gets better and better for all of you!

A great desert over here...its like a chocolate covered oreo double stuffed!

13th Week Out, Jardin America Week 7, "The Joy of a Good Companion...Alma 27:16-17"

OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS GOLLY GOSH!

BEST WEEK OF MY LIFE...I KID YOU NOT RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW!

My new companion is Elder Eddenfield. We are probably the exact same person. Except he has one more month left on his mission. I LOVE EVERYTHING THAT HE IS! I can`t even express the happiness I feel! WAIT OK! So there is a verse in Alma (27:16-17) when Ammon is like coming back from converting Lamanites! He sees Alma the younger and it then begins to describe how Ammon fell to the floor and experienced joy beyond like the comprehension of man. THAT`S HOW I FEEL! We just wreak havoc on everyone! Every single day! Elder Eddenfield lives in Sacramento, CA, really close to San Francisco. He is the GREATEST SINGER ON THIS PLANETA! What the heck.

We have been inviting everyone to church! Only 3 came though! Haha! Well, including the members. But they`re always there, so yea. I love every day. EVERY SINGLE day my goodness. We`re starting an English class now. We will see how that goes this Wednesday.

Nothing really new this week I guess. yea.

I`m starting to get used to the mish. Everything is becoming a routine, but with Elder Eddenfield I can see what type of missionary I want to be. I am totally leading lessons now. (Yea I`m awesome)

THERE WAS THIS GUY! OH MY GOODNESS! Ok when I was on my way to Posadas with Elder Eddenfield. We were sitting at the bus stop, and there was this guy across the street who was standing in the middle of the grass just talking to himself. He literally just stayed there the whole time. It was like15:00 since we saw him. We went to a baptism of some of Elder Eddenfield`s investigators, and we came home super late like 23:50 late. AND THAT MAN WAS STILL STANDING THERE! The next day we were walking to another appointment AND HE WAS STILL STANDING. AND TALKING! What the goodness. So we went over and I tried to give him a Book of Mormon. He didn`t want it. OH well...

I MISS YOU ALL! Thank you for reading! HAVE THE BEST WEEK OF YOUR LIFE EVERYONE!

Interesting about the Posadas Mission:

There are 3 languages in my mission. Castellano, Portuguese, and Guaddani. I don`t know how to spell the last one, BUT HOLY GOODNESS IT IS SO WEIRD!

Ok....so the fan wiped out my food prep here!

Great Paperweight...cow hoofs.

12th Week Out, Week 6 Jardin America, "¿¡Què en el mundo!? New Mission Companion Elder Eddenfield (Prior AP)"

Hey!

So I`m just missionarying it up out here like crazy now! I have finished my first transfer!! AND GUESS WHAT!

My companion Elder Evans and I were at a Stake Conference. We finished the conference and then President LaPierre was like, hey I need to talk to you Elders. Then it was like BOOM ELDER EVANS YOU ARE NOW ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT. And just like that it happened. I`m actually not with my new companion yet. He will be joining me in Jardìn Amèrica on Wednesday. His name is Elder Eddenfield.

He is probably the most legit missionary on this planet. HE`S SO ENTHUSIASTIC. Like when you think of someone like that you can really just see sarcasm all day long with that person. But not with Elder Eddenfield. He is always super excited and just wants to win at missionary work. He is on his VERY LAST transfer. And I have the privilege of taking that last month with him. He can speak Castellano fluently and also Portuguese. 

He`s from California, I think from Anaheim? I`ll find out more about him, but really all I do know is that he was the previous Assistant to the President. And he`s spending his last 30-ish days with me.

I am continuing to learn Castellano, I can actually hold a conversation-ish with a person. I`d say I`m at a 45% point by now. I can speak pretty well, the hard part is understanding them! Which is the most important part for me... Ha!

So I guess something weird I can share is when we were walking around an area contacting. There were these kids climbing around on these bricks. And one of them began to pee on his friend...I don`t know... yea..

But ANYWAYS! I love it here! It`s SO HARD! I could give you the run down but, that`s too much to write!

I know that Jesus Christ is up in heaven right now, and he is fervently watching us! These are the last days and Israel is gathering! I am so grateful I have been given a portion of his vineyard to work in. I know he will guide me and bring me to the places I need to be!

Thanks to everyone who reads my emails. Hope you have a wonderful week!

Impressions of Jardìn Amèrica:

There are a lot of Evangelicanos here. I don`t know what that is in English. It`s the church where when people feel the spirit they get up and start screaming or "fainting" because they have been overpowered by the spirit. We had a lesson with one of our investigators named Elizabeth. We took her to a member`s house and had a lesson with her. The member had her mom there at the time. She was of the Evangelica church.

Something that really caught my attention was when we asked her how she feels when she feels the spirit. She said that she could feel it only when she went to her Evangelica church in Buenos Aires. And she could never feel it when she wasn't in Buenos Aires.But when she was there with us she said that she could feel it when we were talking! :)

Elder Eddenfield - recent AP coming to join me for his last 30 days in Jardin America

Another great food...I forget the name at the moment.

Elder Dallen Eddenfield, from Sacramento, CA

Look at these cool scripture covers!  All handmade, I have got to check into this for sure...!

11th Week Out, Jardin America Week 5, "Cooking Argentinian with an American Twist!"

WOO! Okay fam! Let`s talk about awesomeness! 

So in Argentina, its super hot every, single, day... Not only that its like raining randomly all the time so I have to bring my paragua (Umbrella) like everywhere! 

Every taxi and bus we take, is too small for me! Like if I can`t get a seat on the bus I have to like hunch over because I can`t stand up straight! The buses here called Collectivos. And they have two floors! And they`re MASSIVE! We do a lot of traveling because I have tramites (office stuff). They`re trying to make sure I`m legal! Haha! I have like 40 more days or something before I`m technically an illegal alien in their country.

SO! About Paraguay; I actually have to get another visa to enter over the border into Paraguay. The first day I got there, the first thing they grabbed from me was my passport and other documents. I haven`t seen it since that day... Haha! They don`t trust the missionaries to hold onto their passports. Ha!

On my way to some Investigators

Everyday we get up at 07:00, which is really 06:00. The time is really weird here, according to my mission president. So the missionary planning handbook only has untill 21:00 because were suppose to be done at 21:00. We actually get done at 21:30 everyday. But for me and Elder Evans we go past that LOTS OF TIMES! haha! We have to be done by 21:30.  Oh and if you haven`t noticed they use 24 hour time here too! 

And every morning there is a dog that is out and it tries to kill us... I really don`t like it... I haven`t been bit yet but really I think it will happen sooner or later.

OK EVERYONE Let`s talk about me. How is my testimony, what`s up with me, blah blah. Here we go:

HMM! What should I start with? Food?  OK, so the food here is really REALly dry.. I think its because of the weather or something, it helps preserve it. They don`t have a lot of the technology we have in the US so I don`t know really about that. But its so good! I have been trying to make meals now. I have been making mash potatoes and french fries. I also know how to make CHIPA!

Chipa is literally just any kind of bread out here. Like baked, fried, anything! We don`t have a functioning oven right now so I have been frying bread! It`s actually the best! Literally super poor but the best! I`ve been making little pizza things with it, I buy tomato sauce and put that on it, and I`m still looking for a good cheese to put with it. But legitimate chipa is actually really good here. I have had a type of chipa that they sell everywhere, where they put cheese ALL INSIDE IT! It`s still warm too! So the cheese is all nice and it tastes so good, even though its really just dry bread with cheese in it.

HAHA! <oOKAYY!  What is my favorite food as of right now? Sopa Paraguaya.

I don`t know what it is. It tastes like 10% corn bread, 50% egg and cheese, and then the rest is like bread-ish. I really don`t know what it is, someone can probably find it on Google. It`s really simple though. BUT IT'S SO GOOD! (I also don`t think it has eggs in it, but it tastes like that sort of. Ha!)

Um, where am I emailing right now? I am in a place called a Cyber. People don`t have ANY sort of technology in their homes. Like only the really rich people. But even still they only have like a TV. No one has a computer. So when we hand people pass-along cards I really don`t think anyone is going to use the web page on it. Haha! Actually everyone has like a smart phone so I don`t know.

WOO! I just, love it. I absolutely love this mission thingy. Now don`t get me wrong, I don`t just walk out the door with a big smile on my face from the morning until night.

I get to go out everyday and wear "JESUS CRISTO" Right on my chest. When I walk along the way, I`m walking in Christ`s vineyard. Oh my goodness! Do you even understand me right now!? Haha!!! I am doing the work that he has called his servants for.

My First Baptism the Gonzalez Family...!

What would you do if the Lord came up to you and said. Thou faithful servant, I have called thee to labor in my vineyard. This will be the last time that I shall cause that my vineyard should be labored in. 

Will you help me and bring in my lost sheep?  Um. YES?!

I can`t really explain it. I need you all to see my face, and the then maybe you can see how I feel about every day of my life right now. I love the Lord so much, and I want to give him my all. Because he gave me his all.

Thank you all for being awesome and reading my emails! Till next week! I`ll try to send more pictures every week! I sent more this week so look on my Blog to see them! Bye!

Impressions of Jardìn Amèrica:

• The phrase "Hacer Percha" is probably the best phrase I have ever heard of! It`s basically saying to just DESTROY! Or to WIN AT EVERYTHING! (the literally translation does not mean that, it means "to make/to do hanger" HAHA)

Preparing for the baptism of the Gonzalez family! That is literally the font....!

Nahuel Gonzalez!

Nahuel! I don´t know the little girl´s name

Tomas! 

Elder Evans! With Nahuel and Tomas 

Miguel and Tomas!

Serious reflecting going on here...with an Argentinian Hat

The Family we just baptized has a bird...Elder Evans  has the right perch of a shoulder...

A Mural Around Town

Walking around Jardin America

  

      

Look a Shell Station...

Look at these Gas Prices!

The most common thing in all over Argentina is to drink MATE. It´s basically like grass or something all mashed up and put in a special Mate cup, then they just put water in it and drink it.

Moving towards the neighborhood part of Jardín América

Super Nice House Way Out Here!

    Guaraná! This soda is actually based in Argentina

Love the Sky 

 

  Awesome Sunsets too!

10th Week Out, Jardin America Week 4 "Learning the missionary schedule in Jardin America"

Hey vosotros! (You)

So nothing really exciting this past week. However this next week I`ll be traveling back and forth to Posadas and other places because my companion has to do a training session because he is now a District Leader. I have to go somewhere else on divisions because of that. Woo Hoo! 

Also, I`m going to have the opportunity to listen to Elder Bednar this Miercoles! (Wednesday)

Honestly I`m stoked. I have been reading some of his past talks. 

I`m trying to think of something funny that happened to me haha! There's so many small things but not really anything super chistoso. (funny)

But really I have been having the time of my life out here. Not because its fun, but because of the learning I have received every single second of everyday. I can bear my testimony to you all but I`m sure you all know how great it is to be a member of this church.

If there is anything I could challenge you guys to do, it would be to read the Book of Mormon. And not just read it, read it every day, read it even after you finish it. Read it when you have already read it twice! And then continue to read even after you finish a session of reading. Even the Doctrine and Covenants and the The Pearl of Great Price!

I CANNOT DESCRIBE IT TO YOU THROUGH WORDS, mainly because it is already written down for you, and you just have to read it.

So many people are confused and don`t know why they feel sad or angry sometimes or why their life is so hard.

This is how bad the mud is here (elder Evans)

I`m going to make a promise to each and everyone of you that reads my email, and I have the authority given to me to make this promise: "If you read in the Book of Mormon every single day. And really seek to have the spirit with you while you read it. Le prometo que las respuestas usted està buscando, van a estar en las paginas de las escrituras." (I promise you the answers you are looking for, they will be in the pages of Scripture.)

When I asked Heavenly Father if the Book of Mormon was true, I didn't receive an answer until I opened the scriptures, I got the answer... it came from D&C 62 (especially verse 3)

CHOW UNTIL NEXT TIME!

Elder Horton

The moon is already out!

The big tree again, sick angle!

Posadas, looking out towards Paraguay

They have Virgin Mary´s in every part of my mission

Marriage of my first Baptism family! The Gonzalez family! Migel and Vannesa got married.

Elder Evans got Peanut Butter From his parents! His face again! Haha! 

Me and Elder Evans ate a whole bucket of ice cream!

I have no Idea what these things were but I took a cool picture with them!

Outside the Zone Leader´s pension in Garupa!

Garupa

Garupa

Bus Station in Garupa

Píco Dulce! A sucker I received from one of our investigators!

The moon was so bright

Paraguay! From Posadas view!

Paraguay! 

Posing

Posing Again!

Super pancho!

Posing

Coolness!

scenery of Jardin

I´m holding about 200 dollars in pesos!! For our rent!

Me...counting the rent money

Paintings in Jardin

Study the Scriptures...Coolness

Proselyting 

Playing around with my camera effects outside of the pension of the Zone Leaders in Garupa!

Flowers of Jardin

Sunset in Jardin