October 24, 2011

HI.

So yeah. This Sunday was election day in Argentina. It was strange to me because in America, people always talk about how few people turn up to vote for our President even though everyone complains about the political/economic situation of the country. There is a lot of political ignorance and there are far too many people who like to talk and do nothing about it. Well in Argentina, it is the law that each citizen must vote in the elections. Or they get nailed with a huge fine. Yet these people are a hundred times more ignorant than Americans!! They just go and vote for whoever they want because the government is so corrupt, it's all the same to them. That's just a random thing I noticed this week.

This week was a blast though. Being in the office, I get to see all the missionaries who go home as they leave, and then all the new missionaries as they come in and begin the next 22 months of their lives. The week was relatively stressful though because we were busy non-stop all day long making sure everything ran smoothly with all the meetings, meals that were fed to the new missionaries, taking care of luggage as it was delivered in vans, explaining procedures and rules, and dealing with the trainers and all their requests all while managing our own assignments in the office. And then we spent all of Thursday moving houses. (We left the dark, dim, dirty old house we lived in before to live in a brand new house that belongs to a member of the church that currently lives in Cordoba. We're renting it now because it's huge and has space for new missionaries/leaders that come into Bahia Blanca each transfer for meetings). So on Friday I had only a few hours to get 20 boxes ready and shipped off by 5 o clock to all the zones in the mission! I am sure you all find this super interesting but that's all I did all week!

As for teaching the gospel, we found some cool investigators this week but most of them have already told us not to come by anymore for some reason or another! And as for Rodolfo, the man we have been teaching for a week or so, he could not come to church because he had to go vote (which is a complicated matter here I suppose). But I'm sure he'll continue progressing and investigating because he actually went to Institute on Wednesday night! Just not church on Sunday, like I said.

Elder Araya and I continue learning a lot together about how to teach, how to live together, how to study and learn from each other. I have really learned the importance of good planning each night for the following day, and the importance of doing our daily practices to improve our teaching. We try to help and motivate each other as often as possible (and trust me that's necessary with the circumstances in our area) because we know that we can have success no matter where we are. Its interesting living with a whole new set of people at all times. It allows me to really see who I am as a person because I have to learn to react in new situations away from the comfort of home and those who I already know.

As for driving stick shift, I've got it down. I like it a lot actually, it's really fun. And Mom, you would be scared to death were you to drive in Argentina. It's basically void of traffic laws. Except one: don't get hit or hit anyone else. So yeah, I'll be able to return and drive the Mustang with no problem at all :D :D :D And hey, it's good to hear that Angela's chocolate business is going well. Tell her to send me some, that'd be super cool of her. And Christian's email made me laugh a lot because I hear the same thing all the time from the Argentines!! "Chicos, I'm currently bathing my baby!" Lies. Oh and that reminds me, Mom you haven't managed to forward any Tanner's emails to me in months! If you could, that'd be great. I would like to hear how he is doing. I wrote him but he's Tanner so he has yet to respond. And if you could also get a hold of Jordan Wheeler's address for me, I'd like to respond to the letter he wrote to me from the MTC. But now he's in Mexico I'm sure.

Anyways, I am done with this letter now! Thank you for all writing me! And thank you for reading. Chau!

-Elder Garrison

October 17, 2011

Dear everyone,

Well here I am in the office. There are currently 18 missionaries here waiting to go to President's house to have a BBQ before they head off to Buenos Aires and then go home. It's been a hectic day. And tomorrow, 18 more missionaries come in from the MTC to take their spots. Every transfer (or 6 weeks), this happens. Normally it's not so many missionaries at once but this group is huge! It is super interesting to see the old missionaries and their attitudes and behavior. I can tell which ones have worked hard and which have not.

But this week has been good. Elder Araya and I had some pretty good lessons with our investigators. So we're very excited to see how they progress. One of them is this man named Rodolfo. He's super cool! He is about 30 years old, lives alone, works in an office Monday to Friday, 8AM-4PM, and has a tiny two month old golden retriever. We found him in the street in front of his house last week and gave him a pamphlet. He told us that he had a Book of Mormon already and had read some of it. The second time that we passed by, he couldn't attend to us but asked for another pamphlet because he liked that first one. So we talked a bit. Turns out, this guy didn't read just some of the Book of Mormon; he read almost all of it! He's been studying theology in his own time for about 5 years now. He's probably the first person I met here actually educated on religion. So anyway, we told him that we're always in the church building if he wanted to pass by after work any day of the week and see the building on the inside. And he popped up on Thursday! He liked it and then we taught him on Friday. But not after my companion and Elder Howard saw him in the bank and talked to him for two hours while waiting in the huge Argentine bank lines. The lesson later on went super well. I have never taught someone who understood so well the first time.

Unfortunately, he could not come to church Sunday because here in Argentina it was Mother's Day. But he's coming this Sunday! I'm super excited for him and we're going to try and pass by tonight.

I'm struggling here to find more to say. I swear I have nothing to talk about because I'm always in the office! I suck at driving stick shift but I'm getting better. The other day I drove in downtown traffic and had to get the car moving over and over because we were in stop-and-go traffic. I killed it a lot. Oh, and we had Mexican tacos with a member family the other day because Elder Howard told them he had taco seasoning. They were soooo good.

Alright, thank you all for writing! I'll try to have a more interesting week this week so I can say more in my email!

Bye!

-Elder Garrison

October 10, 2011

Dear everyone,

Thanks for all the letters! I like hearing what's going on at home. Sometimes I forget that there is life besides missionary work. Speaking of missionary work, I don't think I was ever under the impression that it would be easy, but now that I am actually doing it, it turns out to be sort of hard. We get laughed at a lot. And yelled at. And people don't treat us like human beings. Half because they hate the United States and half because they don't want to talk to us about religion. But it reminds me of a talk that we watched in the MTC one day. Hermano Gneiting, my MTC teacher, was explaining a point he reached in his mission in Buenos Aires West when he was doing everything possible to be obedient, work hard, and seek the guidance of the Spirit. He explained that he was so down, kids were chucking rocks at them, it was raining, and he just felt like crap. But as all that happened, he thought of this very talk. It was a talk that Elder Holland gave in the MTC. He told the missionaries to never dare even think about going home. To not even dare complain before thinking about what Christ had to do for each one of us.

We had interviews with President Detlefsen this week (the man is amazing), and he said something similar to me. That even the Son of God was rejected. He was perfect, did everything He possibly could have, and they killed Him for it. I am very grateful to be able to even relate to Christ in the very smallest way possible. He really did everything for us and all because He loves us.

Lately I've noticed how aimless and lost the people here look. Their life goal is literally (and I am honestly not joking here) to build their house. Everyone builds their own house here and they are ALWAYS doing construction. They work their whole lives to feed their family and buy supplies, which are then used to continue building or expanding their house. Then they die. That's pointless!!! I want to help them so bad but they just shut out the chance of being happy! It's unfortunate because I really have seen the Book of Mormon change people's lives in every way possible.

But I know there are people out there waiting. I just have to reach them. God's test for us is whether we will open up and be humble. We have to understand that we don't know everything! He does. Like it says in Mosiah 4:9.

That's all I've got. The week flew by! And now the transfer is about over! I am stoked for all the newbie missionaries to come in. And I get to see all the old ones leaving before they go. I need to meet more missionaries here. Everyone I know keeps leaving!

Well, bye!

-Elder Ryan Garrison

October 3, 2011

Dear Family,

I'm super stoked for Dad and Jen that they now have jobs! And seeing the house again makes me cringe sort of. For a couple reasons. Not only because I won't be returning to it, but mostly because seeing a house like that here would surprise me because so many people live in tiny clay brick and cement houses the size of our living room and something like McDonalds or an iPod is completely expensive and practically out of reach of the common citizen. Kind of like Christian said, leaving the country really makes me appreciate what I have there. There are everyday normal items that we have in the States that only the richest of the rich can get a hold of here.

But yeah. October. I JUST GOT HERE. Elder Howard and I try to fathom the fact that we were apart from each other for a time of 4 months but it seems like the blink of an eye! I feel like yesterday we said goodbye and good luck. Yesterday was our "cumplemes" because it was the second and we started on March 2nd. Seven months ago. It really helps me realize how insignificant two years of my time is and how it is seemingly not enough time to do what we have to do! But the Lord has given me 2 years and I have to make the most of it. Elder Araya and I are trying our hardest to be obedient and just open our mouths. I have learned not to be ashamed or awkward and instead to just TALK to people! In the store, in the street, in someone's house. Part of it of course is the fact that my language abilities have improved. But in Balcarce, I wouldn't have thought twice about stopping someone in the street and talking. Now I can't pass up an opportunity.

Unfortunately we have very little support from the members here in the Villa Mitre Alto area. The church here in Argentina is fragile and the people are very lazy. Both culturally and, perhaps, unknowingly because they think it's the missionary's job to knock doors all day. So we are starting to work with the ward mission leader to put together ward activities (because there are none) to animate the members and help them bring friends and feel the support of one another. It's tough work and we only have 4 hours a day but I know the Lord will bless our efforts. Kind of like you said, mom, with your daunting task of cleaning out the house that we've owned for 14 years, it seems overwhelming and impossible to do. I'm here, a simple missionary who has a completely different cultural background, trying to animate 75 Argentines to share the restored gospel with their friends!! So please pray for me and I know the Lord will help.

Anyway, Conference was amazing. I absolutely loved it. It went by so fast I couldn't believe it! It wasn't too bad with the time change, just really late. And we watched Priesthood session on Sunday morning. But we had two investigators come to watch a session on Sunday! They are great!!

I think my favorite talk was Elder Uchtdorf's because of his incredible emphasis on the fact that we are children of God and although we are nothing COMPARED to Him, we are everything TO Him. As well, I enjoyed Elder Tad R. Callister's talk about the Book of Mormon. Clear cut and simple! Through my scripture study each day, I have found it easy to logically prove that the Book of Mormon is both truly the word of God, but also necessary in these modern days. But no matter how logical it is, we need to READ IT and gain a SPIRITUAL testimony. So we can KNOW it is true.

I know it is. And am grateful for the opportunity to share it with all around me.

Thank you for your letters and support! I love you all!

Until next week!

-Elder Ryan Garrison

September 26, 2011

Dear family,

Well, maybe I should tell you nothing about my investigators. It seems like every time I mention in my email someone who seems to have legitimate interest in our message, they change THAT day!! Last Monday, Elder Araya and I passed by Horacio's house and he sat down and just said, "I am not going to continue with this." I was absolutely stunned. We didn't even know what to say. We talked to him about his interest, what he thought of church, his feelings, whether he had specifically asked God to know if it was the truth or not, etc. And he just contradicted himself over and over and told us he had made the decision to continue with his church. So we told him to pray that night and ask God if he should continue listening to our lessons and attending church with us and he said he would. The next day, we were on divisions (two elders left again to check houses in other parts of the mission) and I was with the Assistant, Elder Bills, and when we passed by, the same thing.

His problem is that he has no real interest in changing. Even if God wants him to. The interesting thing is, we're not going to get an answer if we're not ready to accept what it is. Why would God answer if he wasn't willing to change upon receiving the answer? And logically, it could possibly just be the fact that Horacio DID receive an answer from God but was so comfortable with what he already believed, that he was unwilling, or unable, to recognize his answer. If he could understand that he can be as comfortable as he likes in his church but that it doesn't matter because God doesn't direct his church through a living prophet and twelve apostles who have the Priesthood authority like He did in ancient times, he could maybe understand that God wants him to continue listening to us and attending His church. So hopefully someday, he will feel the desire to listen to the missionaries again when they pass by his house.

For now, Elder Araya and I are having trouble having success because we never work together!! I worked three days this week without him because of the crazy office things going on this transfer. BUT the other two missionaries in the Ward had an amazing baptism this Saturday. They had been teaching this family for 5 months now and the parents finally got married and got baptized this weekend!! They use to be SUPER anti-church, anti-everything that has to do with the missionaries. What happened was that they allowed their children to all go and get baptized. A couple of children three years ago, and two more two months ago. So over time, Elder King and his companion taught them and they began to come and read the scriptures and they are now the most amazing, strong, changed people I have ever seen in my life. The man went from being the most proud man ever who 5 months ago beat his children daily, to the most humble, kind, faithful, and amiable man in the ward! It's great. And now the members are super animated and we're going to work really hard to help them all understand that we can continue to help people in this way if they start to share the restored gospel with their neighbors, their families, and their friends. Because anyone can change. And it's not the missionary’s job to find them. It's the members.

The church campaign in Arizona sounds super legit Dad. We are constantly giving out cards to everyone we meet that have the mormon.org website link on the back. I think that'll be great for people to actually develop some interest or at the least, curiosity. Too many people are very ignorant about what we believe and why we do! As for gringos (or yankees as they say here) and Latins, it's about half and half in my mission. I am ALWAYS speaking English. It's pretty bad haha. Of the 8 of us that live in the house together, Elder Araya is the only native Spanish speaker. So he's learning more English than we are Spanish. Yes it was pretty gross in the house mom but if you saw Argentina, you would see that their definition of dirty is far below ours. But we've cleaned out a TON of garbage and junk that had piled up so the house is much nicer now!!

Anyway, I was going to add things to that list, mom, but failed to write them down so now I can't remember!! But if I remember during the week, I'll make a list! Thank you all for your letters and encouragement!

Until next week,

Chau!

-Elder Ryan Garrison