Week 93: First Week In Amppya!

Hey Everyone!

A new week, and a new area!  As well as a lot of new challenges!

First off, on Monday and Tuesday of last week, we worked, and I said goodbye to some of the people.  It was sad to say goodbye to the Familia Godoy, but I am grateful to have been able to teach them!  

Then, on Tuesday night (the night before I left Gutierrez), we had a miracle!  We went by house of a boy that we had found the week before, and had miracle finding him.  His name is Augustin Pécora.  We got to talk to him about what we do as missionaries, and then we talked a little about the Book of Mormon.  When I pulled out the Book of Mormon, he asked if there was a digital copy that he could download.  Then, we told him that it was a gift from us to him, and his eyes got huge and he hugged the book, and told us that he was going to cry.  Then, he asked us if he could be Mormon and have family members that are Catholics.  It was amazing!  I am sad that I wont be there to see him progress, but I am grateful to have been there to find him!

On Wednesday, I went to the offices, and I got my kid!  My new companion that I am training is Elder Vazquez from Lima, Perú!  Following a training from our leaders, we jumped on a two story bus, and took a 3 1/2 hr bus ride to San Luis.

So, we are now here in Amppya, San Luis!  This week has been crazy, and we have basically been so lost the whole week, since the old map that we have to carry around is super ripped, so it has been fun haha.  Unfortunately, we haven't been able to find any of the investigators that the other missionaries had, so it seems like we will be starting from ground zero again!  Lots of talking to people in the street!

Funny

This week, we have been way lost, and we don't really know much about the area.  So, we didn't really know what areas were dangerous areas.  One night, we were walking around an area that looked a little sketchy, pretty late at night.  Come to find out, it was the most dangerous part of our area.  Whoops!

We were walking down the street, and there was a pancaked cat in the street,  I totally didn't see it, and right before i got to it, my comp said, ¨Gato!¨ Well, too late.  I stepped on the pancaked cat and was disgusted with my foot the rest of the night

It is REALLY cold here, and the heaters in our house broke.  So, all day we can see our breath in the house.  It makes the post-shower dash to get dressed super exciting (and terrible).

I love you all!

Elder Conover

Walter and Nahir in Gutierrez

Elder Raymant from Canada


Elder Sosa Sporting the Super short tie


Hermano Scalise, the Ward mission leader in Gutierrez


The Familia Mandiola


Elder Dicou


Elder Mulliner


Elder Williams


Nico Abasolo from Gutierrez


Familia Tidei (the stake president of Maipú)


Hermano Blanco from Gutierrez


Lucas Molto from Gutierrez


Augustin Pecora


Me and Elder Vejar


Me and My Kid!



The Pension was super dirty when we showed up, now it looks a lot better


When we showed up here, we found out that the back door didnt shut, so anyone could break in and rob us from the back door.  So, for two nights, we put a set of weights in front of the door, so if someone opened the door to rob us at night, we would wake up and be able to stop them


Trainers and Kids.  The two other trainers were in the MTC with me!


Some Hermanas were taking a selfie so we decided to 
mimick them, and took a ¨Hermana Selfie¨ 

Week 92: The Unexpected

Hey Everyone!

Hope that everyone had a good week!

This week was a good one, but we did get some disappointing news at the end.  

First off, the Familia Godoy is doing really well!  They are reading the Book of Mormon, and they came to church agan, which was Stake Conference, and they said that they loved it!  The members are rallying around them, and everything is running smoothly!  We feel so blessed to be able to teach them, because they truly want the truth, and they are willing to work to find it!  I have always dreamed, my entire life, that I would be able to teach a full family, and the Lord has blessed us so incredibly to be able to teach them.  This week, we watched the Restoration Video with them, and they loved it!  

This week, we also got to do Exchanges with the AP´s.  I got to work with one of the AP´s named Elder Briones, from Chile, and it was awesome!  I have never worked with a better missionary, and I was able to learn so much.  

This week, we also saw a huge miracle.  A few weeks ago, we were walking down the street, and stopped an 18 year old kid, and started talking to him.  He told us to go by his house, and we gave him the lesson 1 pamphlet.  Well, we went by his house later, and it was the wrong house.  Anyways, we forgot about that, but the other day, a couple of Elders in our Zone were on the bus, and they saw him on the bus.  They didnt know who he was, but they felt like they had to talk to him.  So, they followed him off of the bus to be able to talk to him.  Come to find out, we had written down his address wrong, and the other Elders gave us the address.  We found him. and he was so happy to see us, and told us that he read the pamphlet, and wants to learn more!  It was amazing and the Lord blesses us so much!

Finally, we got some difficult news last night.  We were almost completely sure that my comp was going to leave this transfer, but we got a surprise.  I am actually going to be leaving, and I will be training and washing an area (We will be two new missionaries there).  And, I will be going out of the Province, to a place called San Luis.  It is difficult, since the Familia Godoy will probably be baptized this coming transfer, and I wont be here, but I am so grateful that the Lord allowed me to find them and help them, even though I wont be in the baptism.  

I love you all!  The Church is true, and the Lord is at the Head of This Work!

Elder Conover


The Familia Godoy!  Nestor, Lourdes, Abuela, and Milagros


The Familia Godoy


With the AP's




Elder Camargo…He just went home.


Getting the flu shot


Elder Anderson and Elder Sosa


Elder Banks


Elder Keyes


Cutting Elder Gato's Hair


Really Gross Spinach Hamburger


The AP's House…😳

Week 91: Miracle After Miracle!

Hey Everyone!  

This week was an awesome one!  We saw some serious progress in the work, and the hand of the Lord in our lives!  

First off, on Monday, we got to do an Asado (Argentine Barbeque), and it was awesome!  I got to cook it, and we did about 11 pounds of meat.  It was so good haha!  

During the week, we saw a ton of miracles. and the Lord blessed us immensely.  Last week, I talked about the Familia Godoy, and how we had found a really good family.  On Monday, we got to teach them again, and we taught them about the Restoration.  It was a wonderful lesson, and Lourdes, the Mom, got emotional as we talked about Joseph Smith and bore our testimonies that he was a prophet of God.  They committed to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it!  

Saturday, we were able to teach them again, and we took a member of the ward.  We got to teach them about the Plan of Salvation, and they loved it, and told us that they were learning so many things that they had never heard before.  We were so excited, and the spirit was so strong while we were teaching.  We then got to talk about the blessing of Eternal Families, and weaved that into the importance of finding the truth.  Then, we invited them to be baptized, and they accepted a baptismal date for the 10th of June!  We are so excited!

This week,  we stopped a woman in the street named Valeria.  As we talked to her, we began testifying of the reality of modern day prophets.  She was really intrigued, and then we started talking about the importance to pray to know if it is true.  She was so hooked, and it seemed like she was about to cry.  The spirit was so strong, and then two days later, we went over to her house, and got to teach her outside her house.  When we got there, she had already read the entire Restoration pamphlet, and she told us that she loved it.  Then, we explained the Book of Mormon, and testified that Jesus Christ came to the Americas.  She loved it, and when we gave her the Book of Mormon, she couldnt stop thanking us.  It was so amazing!

Finally, yesterday at church, we were SO blessed, and the Familia Godoy came to church, along with 5 other investigators!!  We were so excited!  The Lord blessed us so incredibly!  

Funny

This week, I woke up at 5:30 (we wake up and start the day at 7:00), and I saw that my companion got up to use the bathroom.  Because it was still dark, I decided to pull a prank on my comp.  

So, I jumped out of bed, stuffed my pillow underneath my sleeping bag, and then jumped over my comp´s bed, and laid down on the floor between his bed and the wall.  I then put my hood on, so he wouldn´t see me, and then waited.  I saw the light turn off, and I tried to hide really well.  Then, he came in, laid down, pulled his blankets over himself, without noticing me.  

As he got comfortable and began to relax again, I threw my arm over the bed, and grabbed his chest.  The then started yelling like crazy, and throwing his arms and legs everywhere.  It was so so funny.  I layed back down in my bed after laughing for a while on the floor, and still couldnt stop laughing for a while haha

I love you all so much!  I am so grateful for the mission and the experiences the Lord has given me here.  It is SO hard, but so worth it, and the Lord ALWAYS delivers us! 

Elder Conover


Ahh Yea!


All the meat…before








Eating the Asado


Plaza Independencia


The Capilla Abierta!


Lunch at the Mission Leadership Counsel


Mesa De Referencias

Week 90: Good Week!

Hey Everyone!  

This week was a good one, and we saw some big progress in the area!  

First off, last sunday, some members took a family to church, and in the family, there are seven children, and a single mom.  They live super far away, but our ward mission leader takes us to the house, and we were able to teach the family this week.  

The mom is named Diana (Dee-ana) and they live in very humble circumstances.  She is a really strong woman, and we were able to teach her about the Restoration, and it went well, and at the end of the first lesson she accepted a baptismal date for the 2nd of June!

We were able to do a service project for her as well, because before, whenever it rained, the water would come into the house, and because they have dirt floors, it caused a mess, especially with seven children.  So, we were able to fix it all up so the water doesnt get in!

This week, we were blessed with a lot of new investigators.  We got 8 new investigators!  We found one family that is really prepared.  We talked to a woman named Lourdes in the street, and she told us that we could go by another day.  So, we went on Saturday, and they let us in!  We got to teach their whole family, and they really have a lot of potential considering the things that they were saying, and told us a lot of things that they think a church should have, and they were all things that we have!  Also, the father asked us randomly, ¨what does Mormon mean?¨ So, we explained a tiny part of the Book of Mormon, and he told us that he really wants to read it!  We have the follow up appointment today, so we will see what happens!

Funny

Last night, we were contacting in the street, and we approached a man, and my companion stuck out his hand to greet him, and he asked him if he could shake his hand.  The dude got all awkward, and said, ¨no, i´m armed,¨ and he showed us the knife he had in his hand.  So, we smiled, said okay, and walked away super confused.  

I know that this church and the Book of Mormon are true!  I am so grateful for my mission and the lessons the Lord has taught me!

Elder Conover




¨Hagan una cara chistosa¨


The house before the service


Me and My MTC comp!


Joaquin!  He is my favorite


Valentina, I tied her up haha


Maria


The pet duck 

Little Puppies


Every mouse killed is 5 points for us, and each time they eat the food without setting off the trap, it is one point for them.  right now we are winning 10-8


Elder Velasco.  He was my zone leader, and there is a good
chance that he will be my last comp.




Elder Lybbert