March 26, 2012

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was interesting. All the missionaries in our house got sick. Including my companion. And our baptisms that we had planned for this past Sunday fell through. Victoria and Gabriel Acuña were going to church with their Grandma but their inactive father thinks they need to learn more and go to church more times before getting baptized. He would know after all since he's been inactive for like 30 years. But it's okay. They continue going to church so they will be able to get baptized in the future.

It's kind of funny because everyone here learns English in high school. But they learn even less than a person would by taking high school Spanish in the States. The point is, the general population relates the church with the United States of America because so many American missionaries talk to them either in the street or at their door. So quite frequently, thinking they're super funny, all the kids in the streets shout random bits of English at us.

"Hello! What is your name? Hahahahaha." When I first arrived to Argentina it kind of annoyed me because I pictured myself doing the same thing to some random Mexican guy in Taco Bell and how rude that would be. But now I use it as an excuse to talk to the kids about the gospel.

So last week we talked to these three kids, one of which is named Agustín Casanova. So we went to his house a few days later and taught the whole family and they're awesome!!! Agustín came to an activity in the church and loved it. He also went to mutual. And then the whole family came to church yesterday and loved it. They are planning on getting baptized by the Priesthood Authority on April 8th. We're stoked.

We are also teaching all of Agustín´s friends and their families so it is going great. Agustín is setting a good example for all of them and keeps telling them to go to church.

Well that's all I've got. I am really loving the area and especially all the members. They are very strong and work hard to magnify their callings in the church. They treat us with a lot of respect and recognize that if they work hard with us, that more people with start coming to church. So I really am loving Viedma. Even though it's freezing cold.

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

Elder Garrison