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