Monday, May 12, 2014 2:02 PM

This place just couldn’t get much better!

Well we were scrambling around because we couldn’t find an open ciber but we finally did find one... to answer Mom's questions. the taxis here are called remises but are expensive and you have to call them from a phone and it is just better to take colectivos (buses) but in the area that we work the colectivos don’t really run through so that results in a lot of walking and even though they feed us really well here we are walking a lot, I am doing better exercise, and we are working really hard so all those things are blessing me with a healthier body. The colectivos are nicer than what you described but have open areas to stand and seats and then things to grab onto and you press a little buzzer when you want to get off. At certain times of the day they can get pretty packed. Three companionships in the district. The hermanas (sisters) are good, I haven’t really met any bad hermanas yet, and they are a lot harder to come by. Talking is done through a phone call at night and the hermanas lost their phone so I don’t have much communication with them. And no problems yet. I think I would be the senior comp because I am the district leader (just me) but we just work together anyway so it doesn’t really make a difference. Send the pendrive!!! Well hope that helps you mom! i love you and happy mother's day again! I didn’t understand real well why Hermana Thurgood called you, could you explain that better to me? Well this week we have been kind of sick but we try and wear our scarves (we had to ask some investigators how to wear them because we had no idea) and eat well. I still keep doing my morning exercises which also seem to be helping me out and we rested a lot today to recover. I think that Elder Crowther and I are cursed for all the things that are happening to us. He lost his voice and then we found out that our investigator Lily got robbed. When we called her on Sunday after sacrament meeting (we found out from the family that passed by to take her to church) she was pretty mad and just was blaming God and it just made me feel so bad. We went over there later because we had lunch and talked with her and she seemed a bit better but just so almost hard hearted. They broke into her house with her two kids solos (home alone), but they didn’t hurt the kids, they were going to take a laptop and something with all their documents in it but it fell down as they were leaving and then someone returned some of the stuff that they said they had found in the street. Really the only big thing lost was a play station. After we left though, the hermanas from the ward went to visit her and lift her up, so hopefully their kindness can soften her heart. It just made me think that bad things happen to all of us but when they happen we need God and the church even more, and really the church is there for the hard times so that we can support each other. I am very grateful for the testimony that I have. We did divisions with some jovenes(youth) the other day that are both getting ready for their missions. It made me really happy the other day when a mother told us that her son was kind of rebellious and didn’t really want to go on a mission or receive the Melchizedek Priesthood but since the elders started going to her house for lunch (just a bit before I got here) and we have invited him to come out with us he received the priesthood and said he wants to go on a mission! It really is great to be a missionary and I love you all very much!

Love,

Elder Andrew

Monday, May 5, 2014 12:05 PM

Holding on strong!

Well I’m leaving...... the ciber soon to go back to the pension!!! Elder Crowther and I shouted for joy when we got the call Saturday night telling us that we would be staying together and in Avellaneda 2 for at least one more transfer. So sweet! They are trying some crazy new pilot program where they got rid of the 15 families and are just working with elders and elders with the endowment. They are piloting it in two missions in Argentina and two in Chile and if it works well it is going to become church wide.... so I could be a part of church history right there ahah. It is pretty cool and we still don’t know too much about it but we will learn more. Noelia and the family Beloso received a whole bunch of support from the Ward, a lot of them went later on Monday and were there with them like the whole day and continued passing by. We went again in the night and they looked a lot better than they had in the morning. Then on Friday we went to where they were going to burry the little casket in the cemetery. It was really different than the cemeteries in the United States and definitely way more catholic. It was sad and as I looked around at all the graves and tombstones I thought, "are all of these people really going to be resurrect and are we really going to see each other again, sera verdad (is it true)?" and I testify that it is true. That just as Jesus died for us he also resurrected for us, so that someday we all can have our bodies again, and so that we can have the chance to return to our heavenly father. The plan of salvation is real; we know where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going. They also had babies’ blessings given to one of the little kids of family Beloso and the other little girl of Noelia and as we talked to her on Sunday night she got pretty emotional knowing that she had been blessed by priesthood holders. She will probably never be free of the pain until she sees her little Lucas again, but in her moment of need she turned to God and has found the comfort that he and his servants can bring. With familia Gonzalez we are also doing well. Facundo and Macarena both went to church and I was talking with their Sunday School teacher after and he said that he thought Macarena was already a member because she shared an experience about praying and having faith, and that Facundo always gives very good answers and pays attention. Que capos! Macarena was a bit shaky for a bit until finally we asked her what was wrong about a week or so ago and she told us that she was a little mad with God for things that happen in the world we listened and let the spirit guide us in answering her doubts and the spirit filled the lesson. Now she is doing better than ever. The potential in these jovenes (youth) is amazing. Lily also went to church with her two sons and was participating and asking questions in the gospel principals class and some of our new members helped to answer her questions! She is opening up and telling us more of her doubts and concerns and even put her name down to give us lunch next Sunday! That is when you know you are doing good work, when they want to give you food! I am loving the mission! Today we had to go to the transfer meeting to help Elder Hermann take his bags and I got to see Elder Corry! It was so good to see him and we talked and laughed and got really excited. It is so good to have such good friends in the mission and people that I want to look up after. He has grown a lot and I am so proud of him, his Spanish is a lot better and he is just such a champ! Hopefully I will have a grandson soon! I love you all very much and look forward to seeing your facecitos in algunos dias! (little faces in a few days)

Love,

Elder Andrew

Ps. thinking better about it I would prefer that no one came and picked me up, it would just be too much of a worry and I wouldn’t get to have that cool walking off the plane into the arms of my loving family moment. It would probably help me to keep more focused in my last days of the mission. Don’t think I am getting trunky either! I just wanted to let you know with time, cause I know these things take money but now I guess you don’t have to worry about that! toodles!