August 29, 2011

Dear queridos míos,

Thank you all for your lengthy letters! I really appreciated it! But I'll apologize now if this letter is relatively short. The truth is, you guys all think I'm out here seeing crazy things every day and having tons of insane experiences all the time. And the truth is that that is probably the truth. But it's hard for me to even remember what I did yesterday!!

This week was good, though! We taught a good amount of lessons and found 7 people. Also, Wednesday, we travelled to Mar del Plata for a Zone Conference that was AWESOME. We all got together (probably about 20 missionaries) and got to see graphs and stats of the mission as a whole and of our zone as a whole over the past 3 months or so. It was interesting to see our progress and talk over what we're doing, why the data looks that way, what characteristics there are in the numbers, and with all that in mind, what we need to improve on. Then we learned a lot about how to improve our work with the members, how to work with our investigators better so they can better recognize us as servants of the Lord, and how to work with each other to have better relationships and more constructively critical relationships to help one another get better. Last, President gave his part about becoming more like the prophet Nephi from the Book of Mormon and how to allow the Spirit to guide us and help us OPEN OUR MOUTHS and just TALK to people. It was awesome, we all left feeling super pumped to work harder and be better missionaries!

We had some good lessons with Eduardo the crazy man that was going to get baptized but he told us he feels nothing and would rather be punished by God even if he is making the wrong decision. But explained he'd still be going to church. He didn't; which is sad because the man is quite intelligent and probably the funniest person I have met in this country.

But another lady we're teaching named Karina Lamberto finally came! She has three children that are a little directionless and I know this will help them. Hopefully we can help them to keep progressing and help the kids to actually come to church with their mom! They are Matias, Tomás, and Milagros.

Today was good but none of us had money....At the end of every month, we get our 700 pesos. But it hadn't come yet! So we spent P-Day broke and playing ping pong in the church building, watching Mormon movies, haha.

Anyway, that's about it! I love being here but I am starting to feel like this is my last week in little Balcarce, Argentina. It's either that or I'm in for the long haul until the end of November so I can help the missionary that comes, after Elder Davidson goes home, get to know Balcarce. Thank you for the letters! And addresses! I'll write you all next week!

-Elder Ryan Garrison

August 22, 2011

Dear Family,

So this week flew by. I can hardly remember what I did. Being in the mission is super weird. I'm hoping the rest of my life doesn't pass by this incredibly fast because if that's the case, I'll be dead before I know it. I try to put it in perspective with my life beforehand and it just gives me a headache. I spent 6 months at BYU before coming on the mission. And that felt like a lot of time. I did several classes, met tons of friends, had tons of experiences both good and bad, learned a ton of things about myself and, most of all, felt like I was there a good chunk of time.

But in two weeks, I will complete 6 months of being a missionary. And I feel like it was just yesterday that I arrived at the MTC with Steph and Justin accompanied by Cory and Christian, my buddies from BYU (who are now serving missions in their own areas around the world). Time flies by at an incredibly fast pace. We all have a limited time here on the earth. So we need to make the most of it. Here in the mission I have also made some amazing friends with everyone from missionaries, members of the church here in Balcarce, and investigators. I have learned more about other people and myself than I could have anywhere else. We are imperfect and we will fall. Constantly. We are naturally and inherently inclined to choose the easy way out and not do what we should do. And even when we do it, we aren't going to do it perfectly. But Jesus didn't come to help those who aren't sick. He came to help those that are sick. And each one of us needs His help to get back up when we fall. It is our test here on the earth to show God that we are willing to trust in Him and the sacrifice of His Son; to get back up with a stronger determination to move forward, exercising even more faith in Christ. No, it's not easy. Heck, it's not even supposed to be easy. But it IS possible.

I'm here in Argentina to show people the way. The RIGHT way. Through the proper authority of God that was restored through a prophet of God named Joseph Smith. And although it's hard to watch people reject it sometimes, I know it's true.

Thank you all for your constant encouragement and all your letters. To everyone who takes the time to write me. Sorry I had nothing special to say this week. You guys probably think I'm super full of crazy stories but with the day-to-day routine, it becomes hard to even remember what I did in one week!

And...once again I have no addresses to write people back. Could someone help me! Oh and if I wrote you several weeks ago (or months ago Jake) and you haven't written back yet, I am sad. And have one day a week to write letters if I want to so write me back!

That's all! And now you know.

-Elder Ryan Garrison

Pictures sent August 15, 2011

Burning a shirt on the 1 year anniversary of a missionary (see letter from August 15)

August 15, 2011

Dear everyone that I love,

Thank you all for the letters. It was nice to hear from all of you! It’s weird being here and hearing about everything going on back there! That's crazy that Russell York already completed a year in the mission. But then again, I have already been a missionary half a year!! Elder Guzman, who lives with me, also completed a year of the mission a week ago or so. We burned one of his shirts haha. And good luck to Kevin! He leaves tomorrow then and reports to the MTC on Wednesday. Tell him not to hate the food. He'll miss it the moment it's gone! And did Ashley Zuniga go to BYU in Provo? Tell her to find my friend Carly.

Anyway, this week was tough! You know that kid I talked about last week? Juan? Thursday we went by and it was AWESOME. He understands everything and had read what we left him and continued in the book! However, we went by Saturday and his mother, Perla, told us that Juan would not be going to our church and that he was going to continue going to hers instead. Her evangelical pastor had a dinner with him and everything. She told us we could still come by and "share a little bit of the word" but when we dropped by (because we wanted to talk to Juan himself) and only the little daughter was home, we received a text message later telling us not to come by anymore. Nice people. I just wish they could be open minded, allow God to answer their prayers instead of allowing some pastor who has no authority to tell them that the Book of Mormon isn't true, and instead use their agency, or in other words their ability to choose, and not choose the easy way out (avoiding us through text messages). But all we can do is pray that someday they'll find the need to change that and really humbly seek the truth. Because whatever feelings of peace and happiness that Juan received will soon be forgotten.

The 6 people we found this week did not come to church either. The only person that did was that crazy man Eduardo that just appeared two weeks ago!! He is hilarious! I love him. We went by him this week with Martin Figueroa (our recent convert) and I think Martin was a little taken aback by Eduardo's extravagant behavior but it's all good because Martin realized he's a little weird, and Eduardo came to church!

Speaking of Martin though, he gave a talk in church and it was awesome! He also blessed the Sacrament for the first time because he received the Priesthood! I think I forgot to mention that. But yeah, he's awesome, and has never even missed church. He said in his testimony at the end of his talk that he loves coming to church, loves learning in the classes, loves going out with us the missionaries to visit people, and has a strong testimony of the gospel and the happiness he now has in his life as a result of the change he made and the knowledge he's gained. I have never felt happier than I did hearing those words come out of his mouth in front of the whole ward.

And because of that, I know that what I am doing is the right thing and that our Heavenly Father loves every single one of us so much we cannot even comprehend it. He wants the best for us but he wants us to work for it so we can really show him that we are willing to follow His Son, Jesus Christ, and the example He set. They both want us to have the happiness that Martin has received and they have given US the ability to CHOOSE it. All we have to do is do our part. I would give anything for all the people I have taught to just understand that. But they can only realize it once they take a leap of faith and go for it. After all, we receive no witness until after the trial of our faith.

Let me know what our new address is as soon as you know. And try to stay in AZ at least. Hahaha. Because I keep telling people, "Um...I'm moving." But I guess there is Facebook!

I'm praying for everyone!
I love you all!

-Elder Ryan David Garrison

August 8, 2011

Dear Everyone!

Wow I don't have much time to write this week because all those emails were long!  But I have a cool story:

So last week, Elder Davidson and I arrived at this corner and the street was SUPER muddy. We stared at it and discussed whether we wanted to trek through it or not. We decided we wanted to. So as we went along, we say hi to a lady standing on the side. She says hi back and says, "So much mud, huh!" And we say, "Yeah, it's been raining a lot lately!" Well Elder Davidson and his let's-be-friends-with-everyone-in-sight attitude though, she's nice let's talk to her! We ended up teaching her all about the Restoration of God's church on the earth today through Joseph Smith and that the Book of Mormon was evidence of that! So we got her address and set up an appointment to go by the next day. And let me tell you, her son is SUPER legit. His name is Juan Carlos and is 17 years old. And this has turned his life around. He has read the whole introduction to the Book of Mormon all the way to 1 Nephi 10! (And no one here reads well so that is saying something). We went by the second time, and he had filled out the pamphlet we always give out that no one even pays attention to. And was already testifying to his mom that the book is true and that God answers prayers. And since all this, he's had tons of crazy happy experiences like his dad that he hasn't seen in years suddenly dropped by.

I am firmly convinced that he will get baptized. All because Elder Davidson talked to the lady by the mud! And hopefully she'll start reading as well and they can both get baptized and be a happy family :)

This week we found 10 more investigators, which means we have found 23 in two weeks. The only problem is that no one has gone to church! Even Juan Carlos who already knows it's true! (well, that's because he got drunk Saturday night). But we're praying hard, and working with the members to have them help us. So I know that we will have success soon!! All this hard work will pay off. The Lord put these people in our way for a reason :)

Thank you everyone for the letters. I REALLY appreciate it! Carly, I sent you a letter June 13, and it was returned to me LAST week for wrong address (I sent it to Jordan's BYU address but put your name not thinking that'd be a problem...I was wrong) So I sent it today to your house in AZ. Everyone needs to give me return addresses if they're going to move!!

And so if anyone could, I need:

Christian Hutchinson's MEXICO address

Carly Colson's school address

Lance Tingey's MTC address

And Kira Woodfield's BYU address for this semester!

Email my mom at jcgarrison@cox.net

Mom, sell those instruments that's fine!

BYE!

-Elder Ryan Garrison

August 1, 2011

HI!

So I'm in Mar del Plata again. It probably seems like I'm on a vacation with all the traveling I do and all the American fast food I eat (I had McDonalds today). But I'll say now that that is not the case haha. I`m still a missionary.

Sunday, there was a big meeting in Mar del Plata with the leadership of all the wards in both of the Mar del Plata stakes. They are preparing to split them up and have 3 stakes in the Mar del Plata area. They wanted all the missionaries in the Mar del Plata zones to be present. Since I'm in Balcarce, though, I had to travel again. And then we stayed for P-Day and we leave tomorrow after our District Meeting.

As for Elder Davidson, he's great! We have our differences in just about everything, but as well have many similarities. We get along perfectly. Elder Davidson is nice to every single person he comes in contact with. Without fail, he has a beaming smile, introduces himself, and is immediately their best friend. I have learned a lot from that. Argentines tend to be kind of closed people. In the way that they keep to themselves, fear strangers because of the danger, and don't smile often. So, when Elder Davidson comes into their life, that changes quite rapidly. We found 13 new investigators this week! It was flat out amazing. I am no longer doing my training program that involved 2 hours of companion study so we go out and work in the morning as well. We've been working hard all day long every day this week and it worked out well!

What's insane though is that we found 12 investigators this week up until Sunday. And not a single one came to church!! It was a bummer especially since the people we found on Saturday were amazing. They loved us. But they live with a crazy Evangelical man that freaked out when we talked about baptism through the proper authority of the Priesthood. I even showed him in Matthew 28 what Jesus did with the apostles. He "ordained" them, or in other words gave them the authority, and told them to go preach and baptize. I bore my testimony that we had been given that authority and that I knew it was true without a single doubt. The others were super interested and understood so well! But he wouldn't have it. And I think he convinced them not to go to church once we left so they were "not home" when we had a member go by to pick them up :(

Regardless, we'll keep teaching them. What was insane (and Elder Blackhorse will get a kick out of this if he is reading it, make sure to add him to my Facebook), but Elder Davidson and I ran into this crazy man on Monday night, last week, named Eduardo Cristiansen (the man who said if you put a woman in the Argentine soil, it'll grow women) and he went on and on and on about selling his house to us and how I needed to call the "boss of the church in the states" to make sure he knew that Eduardo had a great house to sell to us hahaha. He’s crazy!! So anyway, I told him to come to church, not really thinking he would, and BAM. Sunday morning at ten o' clock, there he was. Miracles exist.

Who knows what will happen with these 13 people. But all I know is the Lord's hand is in His work, that He loves each one of his children and wants them to be happy, and that Elder Davidson and I are going to do all we possibly can to help these people have that certainty by making the correct decisions. And at the same time, we're going to continue searching for more people, those who are searching for this happiness.

The members in Balcarce are giving us references as well, which is awesome. So hopefully with their involvement, and our hard work, the Lord will bless us and we will find those that he has prepared for us.

Anyway, thank you everyone for your letters! I can't believe I have been here in the mission for 5 months already!! I love it though.

Chau!

-Elder Ryan Garrison