Week 58: A Tender Mercy This Week

Hello Everyone!

This week was good, but challenging.  Another Week in The Mission!

On Tuesday, it was Elder Crist´s birthday, so, like any good Argentine Father, I made an Asado!  It was really good.  I have officially learned how to do a Manso Argentine Asado haha!

We had a tender mercy early on in the week.  

I have been really bummed out for a while, since I havent seen Analia in over a month, since she has to work so much.  We have passed by a lot, just hoping that we could talk to her at some point.  

On Wednesday, we decided to go by another time to see if we could find her by chance.  As we approached the house, I said a little prayer in my heart that we would be able to find her that time.  As we got closer to the house, I saw that her front gate was opened, and my heart just got really excited, because that probably meant that she was home.  

I knocked the door, waited, and I heard the back door open, and Analia came around the corner.  When I saw her, I just yelled with joy and ran over to say ¨hi¨ to her.  It was such an incredible tender mercy.  Unfortunately, her circumstances are about the same, and she is fighting against her ex-husband so she can receive money to live.  However, she told us that she still has not smoked at all since she stopped with us, and she is reading the Book of Mormon still.  So.  Incredible.  She will some day be baptized, and I feel so incredibly blessed to have been able to find her.  

For most of the week, we were looking for new investigators, which has been hard.  After Gabriela and Juan got baptized, it kinda left us in a rut, without a lot of investigators, so we are now looking for news more than anything.  It was fairly slow going for the week.  

However, we did get to teach the Familia Sosa, and it went well!  We talked about the Book of Mormon and how to get a testimony of it, and what it means if we have that testimony.  They understood well, and they told us that they are getting a lot of opposition from their family.  Abel´s (The Dad) Family is super Jehovah´s Witness, and Belem´s (The Mom), is super Catholic, and they all freaked out when they saw the Book of Mormon, but, they are still listening to us, and, they accepted the baptismal date of the 22nd of October, as they receive an answer that the Book of Mormon is true!  It was such a blessing to be a part of!

Also, Gabriela is so incredibly strong, it is ridiculous.  Elder Crist and I have been joking that she has a stronger testimony than us.  She is sharing the gospel, reading the Book of Mormon daily, she is teaching other people, and just charging forward with everything she has got.  It is so cool to see!  I feel so blessed to have been a missionary involved in her conversion.  

Funny

In most countries that speak spanish, the word for ¨Tshirt¨ it ¨camiseta.¨ Well, Argentines call them ¨Remeras,¨ which is really close to the work for ¨Prostitute,¨ which is ¨Ramera.¨ Poor Elder Crist made that mistake this week.  It was really funny.  

We talked to a woman, and she showed no interest in the gospel because she is Super Catholic.  She wanted to prove her point of how devout she is to the Iglesia Católica, and she told us that her Grandma was a nun.  When we left, I turned to Elder Crist, and I asked him how a Nun can be a Grandma if they have to take the oath of Celibacy.  OOF!

We had a (70 Year-Old)  woman stop us in the street this week asking us for who-knows-what.  I told her that we could go by her house to talk to her, and give her the pamphlet she wanted.  Well, she told us that she didnt want us to go there, because she lives with mean people, and we are too beautiful to be hurt by them.  She then proceeded to exclaim how beautful we are, over and over again.  It was super uncomfortable.  I don't know what it is, but I just attract all the old Women.  Dang it.  

I love you all and I hope that you have a great week!

Elder Conover

Me and Analia!


Prepping the Asado


All the Meat


Yeeeaaaaa!


District Meeting Selfie


We did a service activity with two zones on Saturday


Me and Franco


Me and Gabi

Week 57: Two Baptisms: Blessed From On High

Hey Everyone! 

This week was difficult at parts, but ended with such a great blessings.  

First off, we had a couple of extra hours in the pension for some knee pain and some more sickness, but luckily, Elder Crist got better, so we were able to get everything ready for the baptisms.  

After staying inside for so long, it really got to me.  Personally, I hate staying indoors.  I always have.  Anyways, being inside for so long made me feel super sad, which really piled up.  

After we finally left, we went to Elias and Flavia´s house, and it was official, they have lost all interest.  The lesson went poorly and they have lost all the excitement that they had about the gospel before, which really was hard to see.  We explained to them that we won't be able to keep passing by, which was hard to accept after leaving the house.  

The hard feelings followed me until the morning, and I woke up feeling pretty sad.  However, I pulled out a piece of paper, and started to fill it out with my blessings again, and, like always, it pulled me out of the hole that I was in.  Gratitude really is a principle of power!

So, on Thursday, it was a really interesting day.  I was sitting, studying, and suddenly, I had the most random thought of baptismal records.  Had to be revelation.  I realized that we never had President sign the baptismal record, meaning that Gabriela couldn't be baptized.  I like freaked, but then we ended up sending it with a missionary on his way to Mendoza, and if we were 1 hour later, Gabriela wouldn´t have been able to be baptized.  The Lord really watches over us.  

Then, on Thursday, we went over to the Familia Sosa´s house to see how they were doing (The Family that Dropped us like 2 weeks ago).  Belem opened the door, and was super happy to see us.  She said that they were just talking about us, and that they were saying that they wanted us to start coming back!  And, she said that they have a ¨Regalito¨ for us, so we are really curious as to what that is.  

Then, Saturday!  

We were at the church for a long time, filling up the baptismal font, which of course broke, so we had to fill it with buckets.  It took a while, but hey, it worked!

The baptism went so well.  The program before was so beautiful, and a missionary choir sang ¨Grande Eres Tú,¨ which is Gabriela´s favorite hymn.  Everything was so amazing, and the Spirit was getting stronger and stronger.  

Then, came the baptism.  It was such an incredible experience.  I got to baptize Gabriela, and she was just BEAMING as she came out of the water.  It was such a beautiful experience, and the Spirit was strong.  

Then, Elder Crist got to baptize Juan.  He did a great job, and Juan seemed like he was going to explode with joy.  It was such a blessing to see. 

Following all that, we changed our clothes, and then Gabriela and Juan bore their testimonies.  Gabriela gave a really powerful testimony of the divinity of the Book of Mormon and how it has changed her life, and Juan talked about the immense joy that he felt after waiting for 11 years to be able to be baptized.  It truly is amazing to see the joy that the gospel brings to the lifes of all of God´s children.  

On Sunday, we got to confirm them, and it was amazing.  We could feel the power of the  Holy Ghost so strongly surging through our bodies as we confirmed Juan and Gabriela.  The bishop then invited them to share their testimonies again, and they both talked about the joy that they felt and that they feel like they are starting over.  It was incredible.  

Funny

I was speaking in English on the phone, and I said that I was doing ¨Muy good.¨ It was really weird.  

Last week, I talked about the really gross grapefruit juice.  Well, we had like 2 Liters of the stuff, and, I, being me, had to pull a prank, so I took it to the District Meeting.  The missionaries liked it about as much as we did.  It was especially fun warning the gringos in the room about it in English, and watching the Latins´ faces when they ate it hahaha.

This week, we saw first hand the joy and the hope that the gospel brings.  This is the true church of Jesus Christ in the World, and there is no other Gospel that can bring such joy.

He Lives and Loves Us!

Elder Conover


Me and Gabriela


Juan and Elder Crist and I


Everyone



We did this for like 2 hours!


This is Dayana.  She greets us every night as we come home.


There is a big trench in the middle of the street, so of course i had to get into it.


Walking in the street no más

Week 56: Pomelo Juice

Hello Everyone!

This week was pretty slow, so I don't have that much to talk about, but I´ll try to make it as interesting as possible.

First off, we went as a district to the ¨Dique¨ last week, and we hiked around and threw rocks into the water and just hung out.  It was fun!

That day, our appointment fell, so we decided that we would clean out the baptismal font that day to prepare for the baptism that we had planned.  It was a painful experience haha.  I will explain what happened in greater detail in the ¨Funny Section.¨ 

First off, we got to teach the Familia Chavez about how to stop smoking, and they committed to follow the plan that we gave them, and up to the point of me writing this letter,  they have kept it and they have stopped smoking!  Woo!  Great Tender Mercies.

On Wednesday, we went to an appt, and the people weren´t there.  As we walked away, we saw a woman standing across the street holding her grandson.  We went up to her, and started talking.  We asked her if she is religious, and she just broke down, and told us how her husband left her and that she feels so unloved and unuseful.  It was so sad, but she told us to come back two days later. 

When we went to her house a couple of days later,  we had such a sweet visit with her.  She is so humble, and just wants to feel loved.  We invited her to be baptized, and in the most humble voice I have ever heard, asked ¨Will I be ready by then?¨ and we testified as hard as we could that she will be.  She is such a nice, humble woman.  

Anyways, after that miracle, we went to Mendoza, and we were there for a couple of days, so that kinda killed the work for a while, and then we had two sick days in the pension.  Woooo.  

However, this week, we should have two baptisms on Saturday! Juan Olguin and Gabriela!  WOO!!!

Funny

A few weeks ago we were doing service, and we were mixing cement (which I have gotten pretty good at by the way), and the Hermano told me to put the ¨Cal¨ into the mix.  I had no idea what that was, but it was a really soft white powder.  I put it into the mix, and the dust came up and I breathed it in, and it hurt, and I was coughing a ton.  Well, fast forward a few days, and I came across the word ¨Cal¨ in the dictionary.......it said ¨Lime¨ oh joy.  

While we were cleaning the baptismal font, the pump didn't work, so we were emptying it with buckets.  Well, I had a bucket full of water, and I fell down the stairs.  That REALLY hurt.  I broke the bucket, and my dignity, spilling water all over myself.   And, I have had a nice bruise on my ¨Trasero¨ for the week.  It has been a fun week.  

Had the worst lunch ever this week.  We were at the house of some members, and the hermano gave us a glass, and then filled it up with juice.  Elder Crist took a swig, and then, disgusted, whispered, ¨This stuff is nasty.¨ After the hermano gave me some, he explained, proudly, that it was straight ¨Pomelo,¨ or grapefruit, juice.  He proudly told us that there was no sugar, no salt, nothing, as if it was a good thing.  I kept filling up Elder Crist´s cup just to throw him under the bus.  It was SOOOOO gross.  Then, for dessert, they gave us boiled grapefruit peel with sugar.  It was so nasty, and Elder Crist whispered, ¨Dude I CANNOT eat this¨hahahaha.  Then, they gave us like 2 liters of the stuff to take home... Gross.  

I love you guys and the gospel is true!  I hope that you are all happy and safe!

Love, 

Elder Conover


We hit a year together!


this is a good missionary sign


the district coming up

mi hijo amado

the bromance of the zone leaders


cleaning the baptismal font


my dad! he dies in six weeks!


My new Agenda!


i made some really good food this week.  i was really proud of myself

Week 55: Last Week Was A Valley, And This Week, A Mountain

Hello Everyone!

Another week of the mission came and went, and the Lord blessed us with a great, hard week.  

On Monday, we had a great PDay, and we went on a hike to a place called ¨Cabeza Del Indio.¨  We went as a district and it was a really fun time.  

About Two or Three Weeks ago, I prayed that I would be given a challenge in my life to allow me to be closer to the Lord.  I pleaded with him to do it, but to please allow the investigators to continue to progress, but to allow me to pass through a difficult circumstance to learn something.  

Well, It came.  

For a while, I felt like I had lost the Spirit.  I felt like when I taught, I was left by myself, and I consistently fell into a dark hole of saddness.  I began to panic and to worry about my worthiness, racking my brain for the reason I felt like I was missing something.  

These feelings have persisted for a while, and they have been painful, however, everything accumulated together on Wednesday.  We had a fairly difficult day, and we ended up having to knock doors (which basically means everything else failed).  However, we were going to have an appointment with the Familia Sosa in the afternoon, so we were happy.  

They canceled 10 minutes before the appointment.  Ouch.  

Then, about an hour later, they called, telling us that they don't have time to listen to us, and told us to go get the Book of Mormon.  That really hurt.  That, plus the lack of the Spirit I felt destroyed me, and all I wanted to do was sit down in the little pile of dirt and trash I was next to and cry.  However, we had an appointment right then, so I couldn't do that, as tempting as it sounded.  

When we got to the house, I felt really bad, so I went into the bathroom, closed the door, and just got on my knees, praying that the Lord supported me in the lesson.  We then gave the lesson about the restoration, and we watched the video.  During the video, I opened my scriptures, and I read D&C 58:4. and I felt the Spirit again.  It was a great comfort, but things were still hard. so we bought ice cream before going in for the night.  

On Friday, we had zone conference, which was good, but the feelings of abandonement and saddness came back.  I felt really down and I got a headache and got sick.  I just kept on thinking about what happened and why I couldn't feel the spirit.  

Well, lets fast forward a couple of days.  

We worked really hard this week to get people to church, and the Lord gave us such a blessing.  Last week we were super disappointed that no one showed up, and the less active member destroyed me.  Well, the Lord blessed us SO MUCH.

We got an inactive family of three to church, the Familia Guevara, we got the Familia Chavez to church, Gabriela, Guadalupe, Juan Olguin, and two more non members came.  We had 8 investigators at church in total, and two inactives that we were reactivating.  It was incredible.  I felt so much joy, and our only challenge was ¨corralling¨ the herd of investigators and making sure everyone had a friend.  It was incredible.  

During the meeting, I was sitting and thinking, and suddenly an overwhelming feeling of love and acceptance came over me, reaching the point of tears.  I felt the spirit so much, and I felt so accepted by Heavenly Father.  I feel so incredibly blessed.  

Finally, Gabriela should be baptized this Saturday!  We are so excited and she is progressing so much!

Funny

Elder Crist told me that he heard me talking in my sleep and I was speaking in Spanish.  I was so stoked.  

There is a house here in my area, with a wall with little tennis-ball sized holes in it, and they have a mean dog that always barks and gets mad at us.  It puts its nose through the holes, growling and what not.  I have discovered how fun it is to play ¨Whack-A-Mole¨ with the dog as it puts its nose through.  It is so fun to smack it with my planner hahaha.  

The Lord Lives, Loves Us, and He is Our Savior and Redeemer!

Elder Conover

Gabriela and Guadalupe

Obispo Terrera

The Familia Guevara


Franco Olmedo....I love him


the tea that gabriela gave us to destroy


Yes Mom, If I leaned back in this moment, i would've fallen
 like 300 feet


cabeza del indio


in the desert


it was actually cold this week!


we hit a year!!