Dear
family and friends,
"The
field is white already to harvest..."
This
week was amazing. The Zone Leader meeting in Bahìa Blanca was fantastic like
always. President Detlefsen shared some very great things with us using the 6th
chapter of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price. We talked about the goals we had
set in previous months and whether or not we had achieved them and we talked
about the goals we wanted to set for the coming months and what we planned to
do to achieve them. Our mission is growing very rapidly and we are seeing
miracles, each month an entire branch-worth of people are baptized. There used
to be only 160 missionaries but we are seeing so much growth, the church has
been constantly sending more and more missionaries. There are almost 200 right
now and more are on the way.
After
we had returned to Viedma, we were followed by President Detlefsen because he
came to our Zone to have personal interviews with each of the missionaries. He
talked to us beforehand and gave us some awesome insights. He asked us to share
with him scriptures that had impacted us during the week and began to teach us
and explain doctrine. We talked a lot about sin and repentance and about how
God works. It was fascinating and left me pondering a lot. The scripture that
sparked the discussion was 2 Nephi 9:45. Then the interviews took all the rest
of the day.
So
on Thursday, we finally got to work! The members continue to be on fire. They
are working super hard and the branch continues to grow. Our goal had been to
baptize the Llaupi girls (or as you all say, Loopy) who are Jorgelina and
Mariana. So we gave it all we got and they accepted! Friday night, Elder Hoyos
took the interviews, and even Jorgelina was doubting, at the end, they both
decided to do it!
But
on Friday morning, the Assistants called with transfers. Turns out, I`m heading
out to Santa Rosa, La Pampa to be Zone Leader with Elder Sanchez from Mexico (I
heard he makes killer tacos which is awesome because I have not eaten Mexican
food in over a year). But that shocked me. I was not expecting to be
transferred. In fact, based on what President had told Elder Calarco and based
on what I felt about the growth I still needed to accomplish with Elder Calarco,
I was expecting to stay with him for at least one more transfer. And like
President had told us a few months ago about staying our areas for more time, I
felt like 3 months in Viedma was SO LITTLE. I doubted so much that I had to
call the Assistants back and ask them whether my companion was lying to me or
not. In such little time, I had grown extremely attached to the members, the
converts, and just about everything to do with Viedma. More attached I would
say, than I was to Pehuajò upon leaving.
So
we booked it. We went straight to this kid Gabriel's house and told him he
needed to get baptized or everything we had taught him was worth nothing.
Because he would never progress without baptism. He is 13 and his mom wouldn`t
let him. But after talking, he promised to talk with his mom. The next day, we
passed by and talked with her as well because she had told him she would think
about it. But she was super against it. However, the Spirit worked in her
throughout our conversation and she finally accepted. Gabriel was baptized and
his mom was there to see.
So
after so much hard work, practically running all over the place, talking with
you guys on Skype, and packing up my things, I arrived at the terminal with
Elder Dobson, the other missionary from my area that was leaving, and almost 30
members and converts were waiting there to say goodbye to us. I cried like a
baby.
But
I know that the Lord has prepared people in Santa Rosa for me to help. I know
that if I am obedient to His commandments, that I can be an instrument in His
hands, to bring salvation to His sons and daughters here on the earth. I know
without a doubt that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the
only true church on the face of the earth. It has a prophet and twelve apostles
with the authority of God just as Christ`s church had 2000 years ago. It’s the
same church. And He leads it. The Book of Mormon is true and can change the
life of any person, in any place, wherever they might be, if they can just read
it and pray to know it`s true.
Please
pray from those in Santa Rosa so that the Lord will soften their hearts and
they can accept the message of the restored gospel! :)
I
love you all!
Wave
to Jackson for me.
Chau.
Elder
Garrison
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