June 27, 2011

Dear Family!

Thank you all for the emails! Glad to hear that everyone is doing well :)

This week was pretty good, like normal! First off, Caren, who we found in the bus terminal and is from Venezuela had been having problems getting her money for some reason. I never really understood it exactly (because I have trouble understanding her Venezuelan accent) but I just know she was possibly going to have to move back if all this stuff didn't clear up. What was amazing to see was her faith that the Lord's hand was in her life no matter what direction she was going to have to take. When we first met her, she would not have had that outlook. But over time, by returning to church, by confiding in the Lord and by seeing her little daughter get baptized, a huge change took place! It was great to see. Turns out, they are going to Venezuela for just a month or so, and then coming back and she is going to continue going to school at INTA! Happy day.

On Wednesday, Elder Arnold, a Seventy of the First Quorum, from Utah, and President of the Sudamérica Sur Area came to mission and had a conference with the three Mar del Plata Zones! It was incredible. He came in, told us he was happy with the direction that the mission is going, but that we are going to be changing a lot of things. Everyone says I'll remember this first conference for my whole mission and I believe it. He had a very powerful presence like all General Authorities, and just followed the Spirit in every moment. A lot of things are changing now, from the way we plan to the way we work with the members. But it was so motivating and so exciting, everyone was so stoked to implement all these changes and see the mission grow even more! I'm excited. Our main focus is to find those who are willing to change and progress and take that leap of faith, and leave those who are aren’t for another day in the future when maybe they'll be more accepting when other missionaries pass by. Unfortunately, Leandro Rodriguez, the friend of Martin who got baptized, was not baptized when he was supposed to and may end up being one of those people who may be ready some day in the future. We've worked super hard, brought members, got him Book of Mormon CDs because he can't read well, had fantastic spiritual lessons, but he told us Saturday that he likes his life and doesn't want to change.

So with that and it being Balcarces birthday, things were tough this week and we didn't have too much success. So in church, we had no investigators. But on the bright side, all 5 of those who have been baptized since I've been here were there and it was great! The ward is doing fantastic and we had 60+ people there :)

Other than that, I got a lot of letters last Tuesday so they are coming! Most are post-marked from the end of May so it takes a while for them to send! And a couple of them made it to the MTC and got forwarded, INCLUDING that postcard you sent me in April mom!

Carly, of course I am responding to letters! And you can send me printed pictures! Or email my mom and she'll forward them :)

Thank you everyone who wrote me! I appreciate it a lot and love hearing from you! :) Thanks for the encouragement everyone. Chau!

Pictures sent June 27, 2011

June 20, 2011

DEAR FAMILY

So first, Mom, yeah the mission replaces the cell phone as long as it wasn't your fault (i.e. getting robbed) so we got one like that Monday after. Which was super cool because the next day we ran out of minutes because the Sister Missionaries who had it before us used them ALL. So we've gone a week without minutes and the cell phone plan doesn't reset until Thursday. It's been impossible this week without minutes, especially trying to plan a baptism. So, we walked a lot more than usual, which is saying a lot especially since now we only have half of Balcarce to cover. As for "cheap" watches, they do not exist. They're all over 100 pesos! (I get 700 pesos each month to buy food, toiletries, travel, etc so that tells you how much it is for a watch) It's ridiculous! I'll keep looking. I'm really grateful for the economy in America honestly. Prices are rising everywhere, but here, it's absolutely ridiculous!

Argentina is crazy though. They have like a million holidays for NO reason. Today? FLAG DAY. And everyone and their mom is CLOSED and no one worked! It's hard for the missionary work. The white handbook says Sunday and holidays are great days to work because families are home together. But no one lets us in.

And if it rains? Same thing. Day off of work. Sleep all day. Won't let us in.

"Chicos, I'm trying to sleep, come back some other time...Chicos, we've got visitors, come back some other time...Chicos, it's Flag Day, come back some other time...Chicos, I couldn't come to church, it was raining..."

So this week? It rained three days in a row, yesterday was Father’s day. And today, we could hardly even find lunch because no one was open!

But life goes on and so does the missionary work! So it's all fine.

Speaking of, we had the baptism and everything went great! Once we got started. Martin and Camila got baptized :) and we had an 8 year old in the other ward have his baptism at the same time so lots of people would come. But he was supposed to do his interview right before and his bishop showed up at 6 when we were supposed to be starting! And then he had to conduct the meeting because no one else with that authority came! Half the people we assigned to talk, teach, pray, etc. also didn't show, and the font didn't fill up in time so we had to pump cold water in it. So we started way late, Elder Blackhorse spoke, the other missionaries covered for some others, I conducted the music. Hahaha. It was great. Regardless, once it all got started, it was perfect! Camila was so happy, and Martin even cried a little during the closing hymn when I smiled at him. And then both were confirmed and received the Holy Ghost yesterday :) I am so happy for them and for their decision to follow the Savior and get baptized in the church! They have made huge changes in their lives and you can really see it!

We're still working with Leandro, Martin's friend. His baptism is supposed to be this Saturday but we don't think he has quit smoking yet. We have a lesson tonight and we're going to help him understand how important it is and work out a plan with him! Hopefully he'll be baptized this week and if not, next week! It all depends.

Elder Blackhorse and I are searching for new investigators and it's tough! We're working really hard in companionship study also because better teachers, teach together, involve the investigator, and get better at helping them understand.

And that's my week! This week should be good. We are going to Mar del Plata to have a Conference with President Arnold; President of the South America South Area, and it should be really awesome and pump everyone up! I'm stoked.

Oh, as for Christian, Mom, I wrote him to his house so his mom will forward it hopefully. I didn't have my MTC box number till I reported. My zone leaders told me I have like 5 letters from some people, and one from you, Mom, but I don't get them till they come in to Balcarce for District Meeting tomorrow and can't respond until next Monday!

I love you all! Thanks for the letters :) Thanks for caring. Thanks for reading.
BYE.
-Elder Ryan David Garrison

June 13, 2011

DEAR EVERYONE.

So Costa Rica sounds awesome! Thanks for the pictures Dad it looks beautiful. Mom, trust me I know EXACTLY what you're talking about with the language... Hahaha. As for the animals and food it sounds awesome! I'd be more jealous if I wasn't also in a foreign country eating really good food.

Haha and as for the directions, you should hear the Argentines..."Alright so see that tree over there in front of the red house? Ok good. Well it's not that house but the one next to it with the blue door! Ok good. But it's not that house, it's the same house but two blocks over." Or they ramble on about two blocks one way turn and go on "for a while" and the house looks like this and has this kind of tree with this color door, blah blah and I'm like...Holy crappp can we just have the intersection?! And they talk with their hands and motion and gesture like crazy!

It's funny. They have such a different culture here.

But this week was pretty good! We did divisions and I was with an elder named Elder Thackeray. We were in Balcarce though so I was in charge! It was very different without Elder Blackhorse at my side. But I know my way around so all was well. Let's just say I learned a valuable lesson in planning and we ended up knocking quite a few doors.

Another story: On Friday we were walking near the outskirts after lunch with a member family and it was like 2:30 in the afternoon. Dead middle of the biggest waste of time ever called the siesta. They ALL go home from school or work, eat this FAT lunch like they're never going to eat again, and then they SLEEP. It's ridiculous! The streets, especially on Sundays, are like dead silent. You could be fooled into thinking the place was deserted. Anyway, we try to see if this lady Susana is home and after finding she wasn't, continued on our way toward a less active member's house when this kid passes us. Then he asks where we're from, tells Elder Blackhorse he likes his watch, and tells him to give it to him or he'll shoot him!! So he gives it up. And then he asked for the phone. And my watch. The problem is that he didn't have a gun. Duh. Just his hand in his pocket. But as missionaries, we can't resist. We just do as they say and try not to allow the situation to escalate. We lied and said we had no money because punks like him rob us, and he left. Good thing cause we both had like 50 pesos on us and Elder Blackhorse had his camera.

The end. The members all heard and were suuuper mad hahaha. Stuff like this NEVER happens in tiny little tranquil Balcarce. Mar del Plata sure. But here no.

Anyway, it's whatever, we cooled down and went on our way and found tons of nice people that night who we are going to pass by and teach!

Martín, who has quit smoking, and little Camila, who said herself she wants to get baptized, are both getting baptized this Saturday and I am super excited!

We had a conference for only Argentina yesterday and listened to Elder Civik of the Seventy, the General Primary President, Elder Anderson of the Twelve (who actually spoke in Spanish), and Elder Packer of the Twelve! It was super cool and we had a transmission in the chapel so we didn't even have to travel!

I got sick last Monday night after I emailed you and threw up more times than I can count.

The transfer ended and the new one started today. Elder Blackhorse goes home in six weeks but he's still going strong! And we have two more missionaries now living with us! They got in today and are going to work in the Balcarce Barrio 1 area (which is awesome because Elder Blackhorse and I have had our success in Barrio 2 where we will remain). One is from Utah and the other from Chile so this will help my Spanish a lot. We have to speak Spanish now or he won't understand.

I got letters last Tuesday that were written to me on May 18th through dearelder. And a letter that was post marked May 23rd. That's how long it takes for me to receive letters. They go to Bahia, then the Zone Leaders, and then to me on Tuesdays at District Meeting. But so everyone knows, I AM getting letters AND responding, the mail is just slow!! I love you all and thank you for your letters. I hope my address is easy to find on Facebook or my blog. That's about it for the week. The Lord continues to test me and help me learn and grown. Learn about myself, about other people, and about His plan for each one of us. I have seen His hand in this work and know He knows each one of us personally. Thank you all for the encouragement and sorry if my email was super stream of conscience :)

Chau,

Elder Ryan Garrison

June 6, 2011

Bueno,

So I usually make a list in my agenda of things I want to mention in my email. But I left it at home. So hopefully I remember!

First, thanks for all the emails! Mom and Dad Costa Rica sounds awesome. Except for all the flights and layovers. That sounds bad. But make sure to send me a few pictures next week! It's been kind of rainy here too but that really means nothing since the climates are super different. So nothing like what you described! And as for your questions dad, there are about 160 missionaries in the Bahía Blanca Mission and about half of them are Latinos from all over (though most it seems like, are from Chile). So my chance of getting a Latin companion is very high. That's actually what I'm hoping for after next transfer to help me with my Spanish. I would have died, however, if my first companion didn't speak English. Oh but we're getting more missionaries. President says that by the end of the year, we'll be up to 190 missionaries.

And as for the meat, I have yet to try asado!! No one feeds us it. I've have tons of milanesa, empanadas, gizzo, chicken with potatoes, pastas, etc. But no asado.

As for my week, some cool things happened! Martin Figueroa (the cousin of the three boys) brought his friend Leandro to two lessons and Leandro also came to church! They are both trying to quit smoking but they both have the desire so I know it can happen! We're going to give them both a blessing in our "cita" tomorrow. They are fantastic though. They both want to change their lives for the better and anyone can see that this is doing it. I am grateful for their desire and success. Each time I see an investigator in church, I can't help but smile! We're also still teaching Camila the 9 year old and she and her mom are great. Camila loves the chapel and loves primary and she, like little Matías did, understands everything very well. It's awesome :)

So story: about three weeks ago, our inactive ward mission leader calls us and wants us to accompany him to a friend’s house to give her a blessing. Her name is Maria Vedoy and she was sick in bed and couldn't even walk. She'd been in bed for 28 DAYS! Well Elder Blackhorse and I gave her a blessing and explained that what matters in the administration of a Priesthood blessing is her individual faith and God's will. But in the blessing, Elder Blackhorse felt prompted and told her she'd walk again. The Spirit was SO strong in there! Well, we finally got tired of waiting for the ward mission leader and went back ourselves last night! We walk in a BAM, she's sitting at the table! She said that before the blessing, she couldn't even hardly sleep well let alone walk, but that after, she slept better than ever and that within a couple of days, she was up and walking. Little by little she has got better! She has incredible faith and so when we taught her the Restoration, she was super accepting and involved because she has seen the power of the Priesthood in her life! She said herself that God has healed her and that she has been waiting for us to return. She still has shoulder pain and vision problems and is going to Buenos Aires this weekend to do tests, but we're going by Thursday to read to her since she can't see the words herself. It was amazing though! She is super great and I am excited to keep teaching her and help her to come closer to Christ :)

Other than that, we're working with the less actives and instead of 45 people in Sacrament Meeting in Barrio Dos(Ward 2) like normal (or even less many times), there were 64 people there! The Lord is blessing Elder Blackhorse and me and I am super excited to continue working hard to help the ward grow! We're hoping that next week when the transfer ends, two more missionaries will be sent here to help. It's WAY hard to work in both of the wards.

Well that's about it. It's super cold but I'm fine. Mom, or someone, can you look for Michael Gebhard's address (he's in Florida) and for Michael Chamberlain's address (he's in Taiwan). I want to write them! And make sure to put some of the pictures I send on Facebook and my blog so everyone can see! (Pictures added below...)

The ones I'm sending are of the tacos we made with the Zone leaders after District Meeting in Mar del Plata on Tuesday for Elder Blackhorses 21st birthday, of this super funny dog that follows us EVERYWHERE if we're within 5 blocks of the chapel in any direction, and some random places in Balcarce so you can see it!

I love you all!
BYE
-Elder Ryan Garrison

Pictures sent June 6, 2011