September 19, 2011

OKAY.

Dad, that's a depressing turnout in the BYU - Utah game!

And I hope you guys don't force the missionaries to eat more food than they can handle!

So I am actually still companions with Elder Araya. Elder Howard came in though which is LEGIT because we get along really well. He is new Finance Elder who deals with all the money and is companions with the Elder who is training him in all that. But get this, there are actually 8 of us living in our house! With one bathroom. All 6 of us office Elders and the Assistants to President. They had us all move in together because the old house in which half of us were living before was too far away. Now we live all together and get to know everything that's happening in the mission! It's pretty special...Anyway, the Elders who lived in the new house before us were pigs. So we spent all day today cleaning. Fun.

This week was tough though. The assistants left with the elder in charge of all the houses in the mission to go check them and clean them out of "distractions." Which left us in a companionship and a triple every night. In other words, two groups to work in three areas.  As a result, we had less results! But hey, our investigator came to church! His name is Horacio. He's blind. And 33. And the most humble, nice, loving person ever. He LOVED church. He has few friends, few pastimes, and must get bored often. But the new experience of a million nice people saying hi and caring about him, hearing the hymns, and feeling the Spirit really helped him. It was funny because before, he never memorized names or anything. But in church he finally did. I explained to him how we dress every day as missionaries to represent the Lord, how we wear little tags to distinguish us, and everything else about the missionaries, members, etc. It was great. We had some members take him home and he asked me (using my name) when we were coming by again!

He's getting baptized for sure in 2 weeks!

The church is kind of weak in Argentina. So we're doing our best to motivate the members in every way possible! I got to speak in church yesterday (just like Kimberly!) and I spoke about the Doctrine of Christ (3 Nephi 27:20-22, 2 Nephi 31:19-21, etc.) and explained how it is necessary that we all repent and are baptized by the proper authority so that we can receive the Holy Spirit and present ourselves cleanly before God after we die. That is the gospel of Christ and the only way we can be saved in the kingdom of God! And then I shared in 3 Nephi 17:7 and 9 when Christ heals the sick Nephites but it is the clean people that help the sick come under Jesus to be healed (something I learned from Elder Blackhorse). It is our duty to share the restored gospel with ALL those around us! Whether we are missionaries or not! Everyone needs to be "healed" through Christ by baptism.

Unfortunately, a lot of the members here think that it is the job of the missionary to knock doors all day but that's wrong! The members find. The missionaries teach.

I love being here and doing this work. It's an incredible and rewarding experience to help someone find the restored gospel of Christ and come to receive the blessings of it. And I learn a lot each day about my own self, how to teach and interact with others, and how to learn in a more effective way. I'm so thankfully every day for the experiences I have.

Thank you all for your letters and encouragement! I hope everyone is doing well back at home. And if you haven't written in a while, or said you would and haven't at all. Please write me!

Chau!

Elder Ryan Garrison