buscad y hallareis
Nov. 17, 2014

Well one cool thing about this week is that we found 15 new investigators! That is a mission record and is mostly because we found two new families that are complete families: mom, dad and a bunch of kids and then a few others here and there. Now the trick is just to get these people to progress. Before in my mission I have never really been able to find prepared people through doing contacts but now we are (at least I hope) and I think it is because we are making it a focus. We found one guy, Gustavo, where we just talked with him and his mom in front of their house one day and then set up a day to go visit them. When we visited them, Gustavo opened up (something he doesn't do according to his mom) and told us he wants our help because he has been into drugs and alcohol and that has caused him to lose his family, mujer(woman/wife) and 3 hijas (daughters) and realizes he needs to make some changes. We talked about Alma 36 and the change that Alma had and afterwards he said he felt more peaceful. We passed by a few days later to see how he was doing and he wasn't there but his mom told us he had been reading in the Book of Mormon! That is something not many people do right off the bat! Then, a family we found, we just clapped a door one day in an area that we don't usually go to because we were lost and asked for help.  The lady seemed really nice and even told us about her experience that led her to believe in God. So we went back this week and taught the whole family! Husband, wife and 5 kids (4 kids over 8 years old) and she had actually read the folleto (pamplet) we gave her, something that also no one does right off the bat! haha So it will be interesting to see how we can keep working with these people. One key is to always be searching because a mistake we sometimes make as missionaries is to say "well we have already got a pretty good group of investigators so we will just focus on them" then they get baptized and there is no one to teach..... so always looking is important and then dropping the people that aren't progressing but leaving a good registro (register) in the area book so that other elders can find them when it is "their time." Then, Elder Nelson talked to us on Thursday, that was great! First, Elder Cevallos and his wife spoke with us. They're from the area presidency and from their accent I could tell they were Chilean, whoo go Chile! They gave very great talks. Then Elder Nelson and his wife. She talked a lot about the premortal existence and the 12 tribes, pretty interesting. Elder Nelson talked about how important the work is that we are doing and what I really wanted to share with you is that at the end he gave us an apostolic blessing and in that blessing he blessed those that are sick or afflicted within our people (family groups) that they would be okay. So, little Benjamin Brimley is going to be just fine :) Then, this Sunday, I had a really cool experience in church. Sadly, as a missionary it is sometimes hard to focus on what is really important in church. Sometimes we are thinking about who didn't show up or why they are teaching some weird doctrine if there is an investigator there or that it is hot or something and it is something I need to work on, but during the sacrament this week I dropped all those thoughts and just focused on the Savior. As I pondered on his life, what I have been learning about Him in the scriptures lately and his love, a big peace overcame me. I didn't notice the distractions and the following meeting was one of the most spiritual meetings I have ever been in. Was it so much more spiritual because the talks were really great, or someone special came to speak to us? The talks were good but I think the difference was me and where my focus really was. That we may all remember Christ through the whole week and especially during that sacred time of the sacrament.

I love you all and until next week,

Elder Andrew

P.S. Facundo Gonzalez from Avellaneda sent me letter and he is on fire! Going to seminary and sharing the gospel with his friends, that made me happy to hear!