Email Letter 28 December 2009

Hey Fam,

Well it awesome to talk to you, it seems like it’s been so long but this time we won’t have to wait quite as long. Sounds like Christmas went by really well and that everyone is all doing so well. I don’t think that there is anything more important than to have your family around you for the holidays and I’m happy that I don’t have to miss that again. There are so many things that I’m grateful for and family is number one on that list so I’m happy that things are going so well.

The week went by really fast. We had a lot of success in finding people to teach. I think that I’m at an advantage because I’m opening this area where there hasn’t been missionaries for the last 3 years almost so there are a lot of people that haven’t ever listened to or even seen the missionaries so just about everyone we talk to is interested in listening to us. The other day we were a little bit late for an appointment but I saw this young family sitting outside their house and I looked at my comp and said we are late but we have to talk to these people first or I will regret it forever so we went and talked to them and they were so excited to listen. We didn’t have any Book of Mormons to give them but we told them that we would be passing by to give on to them a little bit later on so we left them with a pamphlet and went on to our other lesson. After the lesson we went back by to give them the book and we gave it to the wife and explained the part that we had marked and left, later on that night we saw them walking around and the dad asked when they had to read it by and when we were going to pass by to take the book back, I told him that it was theirs and that we didn’t want it back. I wish that you all could have seen the way his face lit up. He asked us when we could go by and talk to them a little bit more then and they went on their way. I’m super excited about this family and I can’t wait to talk to them again. There are so many awesome experiences like that that I won’t ever forget.

We are being so blessed in this area and I love it. We are getting the members excited to have missionaries back and to get back into the swing of working with us. It’s going to be a fun 4 more weeks! Other than that there’s not much else to say because we talked just a few days ago. It’s been super, super hot and it’s hard to sleep but we make do. I love this work! Take care.

Tay

Email Letter 21 December 2009

 Hey Fam,

Well once again I’m writing from a new area and with a new companion. Who would have thought? Not me to be honest. I didn’t think that the lord would move me for my last transfer but it looks like I thought wrong. I’m training again for the second transfer in a row and I’m opening that area that I told you about “LAS LOMITAS” it’s just a little further east than my last area. It’s weird because both of my newbies are in the same district together. I’m going to be able to work with Elder Hansen in divisions and he will be able to work with his new brother Elder Wald.

Elder Wald is from Orem. Right close to home for me. He went to Timpanogos and he’s a good kid. He actually knows a lot of Spanish which is nice and he’s really ready to work. He’s going to keep me on my toes I think. It should be fun and we have already found some really good people to teach. He has a sister that just started her mission as well in Texas which is pretty cool. He’s my second companion with a sibling serving a mission at the same time (Elder Hogge had two sisters serving along with him) crazy stuff.

Well like I said, we opened up an area and that means we got here with an empty apartment. It’s been fun to go shopping though. When I got to Resistencia to pick Elder Wald up they gave me an envelope with 4500 pesos in it to buy everything. It’s so fun to just go out and buy a bunch of stuff and especially when it’s not your money. I actually feel bad with how much stuff costs because I know where the money comes from and so we have been buying the least expensive stuff but things that will last a long time. It’s been interesting to have to think about what exactly we need to be able to live and then go to a bunch of different stores to price things out to get the best price. I feel like such an adult.

So on the way here we got stuck in a really crappy bus. The air conditioners don’t work half the time in the busses out here in the middle of nowhere and it just so happened that on this horribly hot day that the air didn’t work on the bus we had to take. It was full of people so I had to stand the whole ride and it was like an oven inside. I think that I lost about 10lbs just in that hour and a half. It was a fun experience for my comps first few days in the mission. Ha-ha. But other than that traveling wasn’t too bad all things considered. I had to sleep on the floor for two nights in a row but I just look at it like you win some and you lose some and I only have a little over a month left so I can take one for the team now and then.

Yesterday in church we had 12 people and one of them was an investigator which was pretty cool. I gave a talk about the birth of Christ and how important it is to think about others at this time of year and not think so much about ourselves. It was a good meeting. And then last night we went out and found some really nice people, we actually taught a lesson in English which was a first for me in my mission. I have high hopes for this place and I know the Lord has put me here for a reason.

Well that’s about it for this week. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas! I love you all very much and I’m excited to be able to talk to some of you in a few days and the rest of you in uh....let’s see...let me think...oh yeah 39 DAYS AND COUNTING!

Tay

Pics

Me and Elder Hansen

Me and Elder Wald

My little friend Cinthia

Email Letter 14 December 2009

Hey Fam,

Well it’s been a good week I guess. Not too eventful but nice and calm. I got an awesome birthday present from President del Castillo. He called me and started asking me about the other area that I’ve been working in. It’s called Las Lomitas and I have been begging him to put missionaries there. It’s been my dream to open and area and he is going to at least open it. We will find out tomorrow night if it’s going to be me or another missionary. I have a feeling that it’s not going to be me but it would be so cool if it is. I think that president finally got sick of my asking and decided to open it because there are enough missionaries coming that he will be able to do it. It’s going to be an interesting wait for sure. The cool thing was that I don’t think he even knew it was my birthday!

So today I officially started my last transfer. It’s an interesting feeling to think that in less than 7 weeks I will be home and in the freezing cold snow! I love that thought. I try not to think about it so much and I don’t really like talking about it to my comp, I think it might make him think about home even more than he already does and that makes me feel bad so I’m trying to do better. It’s pretty fun with Elder Hansen, he’s a riot! It’s going to be sad if I leave him this transfer.

So a few weeks ago my comp and I went around to all of the members houses and told them that I had to humble myself and ask for help from all of you. I told them that I really thought that I could go house to house and find baptisms which I really do believe but that it wasn’t the way that things needed to be done and that I needed their help. I gave them all goal sheets and told them all that they needed to find me a family to baptize this month. I told them that they didn’t have to do it if they didn’t want to but that if they said they would that they really needed to start looking. To be honest I think that it was the best idea I’ve had in my mission. I was thinking back to my last area and how I had so much success and realized that it was all the help from the members so I’m trying to do the same thing here and all of them are so excited to be helping. Every time I go to their houses my first question is... “Have you found someone that we can baptize yet” and they have all said yes!!! It’s been great. They are all excited and they are finding people like crazy. We have a few really good families that I’m really excited about but there is a lot of work to do with them until they are ready. I’m excited for the work and it keeps me thinking in the mission and not in home. We shall see what happens but like I always say to the members “hay algo dificil para dios?” or in English “is there anything hard for god to do?” the answer to that would be NO. It helps them realize that anything is possible. As long as I can keep them excited we should have lots of success.

Not much else has been going on. We are all excited for transfers and for Christmas for sure and I think about you guys all the time. Love you guys. Take care.

Tay

Email Letter 07 December 2009

Hey Fam,

It was a good week. We had our interviews with Pres. and it was awesome. I was waiting outside for him to finish an interview with a member and when he came out he just smile and hugged me and then pulled me into the office. We sat down and he just told me how much he loves me and appreciates me and the work I’m doing. He said that he knows wherever he puts me there will be results and that he completely trusts me in whatever I do. It was really quite awesome to hear that. I don’t think that I’ve had an interview quite like that. He was really happy because we had 116 baptisms in November which is a record a think for our mission. He’s just so happy and everyone can tell. It’s pretty cool to be honest. We just sat there for a few minutes and laughed and that was about it. He’s such a cool guy.

Other than that it rained a lot yesterday and there were only six of us in church! It was kinda sad and really hurt us as far as getting investigators in church because no one goes anywhere when it rains. The streets are flooded and muddy and it just hurt us as far as people in church. We had high hopes of having quite a few but when I woke up I told me comp that there wouldn’t be anyone there and that it would be us and four others and that’s exactly how it was.

We went to a member’s birthday party on Saturday, he turned 6 and it was a spider man party so my comp was a hit. It’s really funny how much he looks like “Peter Parker” that’s what the members call him. They all say “HEY! Elder Peter Parker” they love him. He’s famous!! All the little kids wanted to take their picture with him. It’s pretty funny. I told them all that I was going to start making people pay 5 pesos to shake hands with him and if they wanted a picture that it would be an additional 10 pesos. The funny thing is that I think they would all be willing to do it. Ha-ha!

Things are going slow but I’m loving my time here. I know that its short but I wouldn’t trade it for anything! We are having a lot of fun and I think that we are going to have a lot of success with the members this month. It’s hard to think that I turn 21 on Wednesday!!! And even more that I’m going home in less than two months. It’s just so crazy! I never thought that I would actually turn 21 or that my mission would ever end but here it is coming up quick. I love you guys and I’m excited to talk to you in a few weeks. Take care! Love you!

Tay

Email Letter 30 November 2009

Hey Fam,

So it sounds like Thanksgiving was a hit. I’m very happy to hear that. I woke up on Thanksgiving and looked at my comp and said... “Its thanksgiving” and he looked at me and said... “Thanks for reminding me” it was funny. I felt bad for reminding him about his family since he just got here but to be honest after that I think we both just forgot about it all and went on out to work. It was just a normal day for us but it was a good day. It has been super hot here and the power gets cut sometimes during the night which makes it so much fun to try to sleep because that means that the fans don’t work and neither does our air conditioner that’s from the 70s that only works half the time anyway. You just roll around like you're in a swimming pool of your own sweat. It’s really nasty but it’s so true. We couldn’t sleep very well last night and I told my comp that he just needed to get used to it and he looked at me and said that it’s impossible to get used to it. He’s oh so right but I think that I can go without two months of sleep if it means that I can sleep in my waterbed again!! Ha-ha.

Like I told you all last week that we had a baptism and here are the promised pictures...

It was a pretty fun day. He was confirmed yesterday and he’s just super awesome.

To be honest nothing else has really happened this last week. Nothing ever really happens when you’re out in the middle of nowhere but we try to make things fun. We have our interviews with president del Castillo this week and those are always fun but other than that again this week with be another boring one. Next week is my birthday though! How cool is that. I’m not really that excited but it will be fun anyway. Well Fam I love you guys and I think about you often. Take care!

Tay

Other fun pics...

This is my friend Victoria.

TELL ME THAT HE DOESNT LOOK MY PETER PARKER FROM SPIDERMAN!!! Toby McGuire

He fell asleep.

Email Letter 23 November 2009

Hey Fam,

So it’s been a pretty good week. Last Friday we had out zone conference in Formosa and it was a lot different. There is a new way that the first presidency and the quorum of the twelve want things to be taught and it was a little bit disappointing because it just wasn’t the same as it used to be. For example President del Castillo can’t get up and teach us doctrine from what he has studied like he has always done. He can’t just give us answers; we have to answer our own questions. It’s like a group discussion. Its different and he admitted that he doesn’t really like it because he doesn’t feel like he can teach us anything because that’s just not what he’s used to but we are all very supportive of the first presidency and we will learn to use it better and better every time. It was a very very spiritual conference though. At one point president asked us all to stand one by one and bear our testimony which is something he’s never done. It invited the spirit though and I think that we all loved it.

Yesterday we had our district conference and right after we had a baptism. I forgot my camera so you’re going to have to wait for pictures until tomorrow but it was very cool. We baptized a kid named Juan and he’s 20 years old. He’s so cool and he understands so well. He’s going to be a great asset to the church and the branch. We are all very excited and we are trying to find the people that are ready to listen so that we can help more people come to unto Christ and his true church.

Elder Hansen is progressing very quickly. He has learned a lot and is catching on to things pretty fast. I think he just needs a little bit more common sense and he would be perfect. Ha-ha. I think that it’s just from the shock of being here in Argentina because it’s just so different. I remember when I first started like it was yesterday. I was just so tired all the time from trying to understand and work in the heat and everything but it comes with time and he will figure it out.

Things are moving along and I find myself just loving the work and the people. It’s going to be hard to leave and just thinking about how I just have 9 weeks left is crazy!! It kinda makes me sad and happy at the same time. Its bittersweet but I really don’t think that it has hit me yet. I hope that all is well and know that I love you and think about you all often. Take care and Happy Thanksgiving!

Tay

Email Letter 16 November 2009

Hey Fam,

So it’s been a good week. We have been working hard and trying to get some baptisms going on. We have been going through some rough times though with all of our investigators. It seems like they are so close and then they just fall away. It has been really hard for me. We will keep on keepin on though and see what we can get done.

To be honest there isn’t really anything to tell you. Not much has been going on. Things are good with my new little boy and he is learning quite quickly. We spoke in church yesterday and I’m not sure what the branch presidency was thinking making my comp speak in his second week here but he did a good job. I helped him write it out and he did well. He speaks so softly because he’s pretty shy but he got his point across. He spoke about missionary work and I spoke about talents and how all of us have certain ones that the lord has given us and we will lose them if we don’t work to get perfect. The lord wants us to progress and if we don’t he will take what he has given away and give it to someone else.

To be honest there hasn’t been anything big going on and I am out of things to say. I love you guys and I hope all is well. Take care and just think...10 more weeks!!!

Tay

Email Letter 09 November 2009

Hey Fam,

So this week has been pretty hectic for sure. On Tuesday night we found out about transfers and as it turns out I was so right about what was going to happen. Elder Hogge left to Resistencia and I’m training!! I finally have a kid. His name is Elder Hansen and he’s from Cache Valley.

We are completely different as I’m sure you can tell from the pictures but it will be fun. He’s kind of a nerd and is super shell-shocked and it’s hilarious. You can just tell he is so scared and worried about everything. He seems a little clueless and sometimes I have to tell him something like five times before it clicks in his head but it will be all good. He doesn’t know any Spanish. I honestly don’t know what they teach anymore in the MTC because I’m pretty sure I knew a lot more Spanish before I got here. The members are trying to help him out though. I made him sit down with a ten year old kid and teach him about Joseph Smith just so that he could practice. I remember my first week or two in Argentina so I feel for him but it’s just really funny. Sometimes the members will mess with him and start talking Guarani which is a language from Paraguay. It’s pretty hilarious.

It’s still really hot here. It got up to 117 degrees the other day and the sun was killer but it rained pretty hard the other day and it’s been cloudy so the heat is bearable...for now. The weather here is just weird. Overnight it just changes from no clouds at all to rainy and humid with the streets covered in water to the knees almost and then the next day back to super hot and no clouds. I just don’t understand.

Overall things are just going normal. We have a few people that are getting close to baptism and I’m getting pretty excited. I’m doing everything possible to make sure that President has to open an area next transfer by trying to baptize a bunch there as well. I think that’s what keeps me going. And it’s pretty good incentive for me I guess.

I love all of you so much and think about you often. It’s not too much longer until we will all be sitting together talking about all the fun things that have happened over the last few years. Pray for me and know that I’m praying for you. Love you!

Tay

Email Letter 03 November 2009

Hey Fam,

 Well as you know once again I’m writing a day late. Let me explain...yesterday was our p-day as you know but it was also another holiday here in Argentina. It was “Dia de los muertos” or day of the dead. It’s not the Halloween but they all go to the cemetery and stuff like that. I don’t really understand the whole concept but that’s just what they do. Since it was a holiday the cyber was closed and we didn’t have any way at all to write. Sorry!

Today we are on divisions and we went out the Indian colony that is here close to the zone leaders area and there is a family there that has to cougars as pets

This is just one of them but it’s pretty sweet that they can say they have little cougars like other people have dogs!! It’s nice to know that most of you are not alone in being BYU fans because it would seem as though they like the cougars as well.

We did some service on Saturday and we helped the Hermana make some lunch afterwards...nioquis (gnocchi) are my favorite of course...

The food turned out great!

So now that I’m not in Libres I’m not with my little friend Karren anymore. On the bright side of things I have found a new little friend and her name is Cinthia

 

She’s the cutest little thing isn’t she!

Well on a side note I just went and threw up. Ha-ha I thought you all might want to know that. I think it’s just because of something I ate because the other elder that I ate the same thing with isn’t feeling very good either.

So tonight are transfers and I’m pretty excited. I think that I might train and that would be awesome since I haven’t done it yet.

We have been having a lot of success lately and we have a baptismal date for this Saturday. She is an awesome 23 year old girl and I think that I’ve told you about but we are so excited for her. I’m not sure that it will happen this Saturday because we still have a few things to teach her and not very much time to do it in especially if I have to train because I would be out of my area for 2 days with traveling and stuff but if it’s not this Saturday it will be the next. The lord has been blessing us like crazy and I can’t explain how blessed I feel. It’s been over 100 degrees the last few days and it has been killer but I know that because we keep working through it the lord is taking care of us as we take care of his work. It’s only getting hotter and hotter as we go though.

I love this work and I love being here. I miss you all and I know that this is the Lord's work and that we are all being blessed because I’m here. Take care and I’ll let you all know what goes on in transfers and the baptism next week.

Tay

P.s. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARTER!!!!

Email Letter 26 October 2009

Hey Fam,

So it’s been another good week. I passed the 21 month mark on Friday! It was actually the worst day of my mission. I’ll explain. So we had to travel for a District meeting and the bus was supposed to leave at 9am so we got the place at a quarter til and it had already left. They said that it decided to leave at 8:30am for some reason. So we went out to the highway and hitched a ride after trying to get someone to stop and take us for a half hour. So we went and had the meeting at it went really well. Very spiritual and I loved it. After we got done with the meeting we all went to lunch and we had to catch a bus going back to my area at 2pm. So we got done eating and went to the terminal to catch the bus that never showed up. We were waiting for 3 hours until a bus arrived. It was a long wait and it made for a very long day. My comp wasn’t very happy at all and I told him that he just needs to get used to it because that’s just how the busses here in Argentina are...VERY UNRELIABLE. All and all it wasn’t that great of a day.

We spoke yesterday in church and I talked about how if the church is really true then nothing else should matter. We have problems with people being the only members in their families and they complain about how hard it is and how tired they are and how this and how that, now don’t get me wrong I understand where they are coming from because I’m sure it’s not easy but I spoke about how its shouldn’t matter if it’s really true. Just like the lord said in Matthew, seek ye first the lord and all the rest will be added. That’s not exactly how it goes but close enough. This is the true church and nothing else should matter if we just put our thoughts and actions in doing what he would have us do so that he can bless us.

So on Saturday there were two baptisms of ward members kids that turned 8. It was a lot of fun to be there and see how happy they were. There were 60 people there and we couldn’t all fit into the kitchen to see the baptisms. It was crazy. We had some investigators there and they loved it. We actually put a baptismal date with one of them and she is so excited. We put the date for the 7th of November. She’s a really nice girl and she’s studying English in college. We are excited to help with that as well.

On the upside of things my comp and I started running today. I’m pretty excited to get back into that. It’s been since my time with Elder Rapp since I’ve been running and it was pretty difficult but at the same time very refreshing. I’ve made the goal to go home in shape and I’m for sure going to get it done.

Well Fam that’s it for this week. I love you guys lot and think about you all the time. Hope things are going well and not too much longer before I get home.

Tay

Pictures 19 October 2009

King on the Tower

King with Pokemon

King and Hogge

Email Letter 19 October 2009

Hey Fam,

So it’s been a good week. We had interviews with President del Castillo yesterday and he gave me hope that I might open the area that I want to badly to open. I talked to Elder Eliason who is one of the assistants and he came with me so we are good friends and I told him that I wanted to open this area and it looks like he talked to President for me. He also told me that President trusts what I think and that if it’s possible he will let me do it. Ha-ha. I love being loved. Interviews were good though and I also got my new Temple recommend because mine expires this month. Pres stayed for church and spoke about how important mothers are in our lives and how much they affect what we do in the future. It was awesome and very fitting because yesterday was mother’s day in Argentina.

We have been working hard and to honest even though it’s hot and I’m in the middle of nowhere and I’m getting to the end of my mission I want to work more now than I have my whole mission. It’s like I put it into 5th gear and I love it. I thought that I had worked pretty hard before but now I just have a love for it that can’t be stopped. My comp asked me why I wanna work so much and so hard in the heat at the end of my mission because his last comp was going home and didn’t really want to work at all. I just told him that I felt like there’s lots to do and that people need us and he said that he was happy that I wanted to work. It seems like it’s just easier and lots more fun to talk to people. I think that at the beginning of my mission I was scared but in Libres that all changed and now I’m just a Bold, direct missionary that won’t take a now from anybody. It’s an amazing thing to be able to speak in the name of the lord and the personal revelations that come to me from just talking to people. The promised blessings just flow out of my mouth and I don’t know where they come from or why I say them but I know that it’s not me talking.

Things are going well and even though I count down the months and transfers and p-days and everything I just feel good being here and I don’t really want to leave. I miss you guys and I love you. Know that I think about you often and pray for you always. Take care.

Tay

P.S. Mom I did know that Amber is engaged because Matt told me and I would love to see pictures of Tess and Paisley.

Pictures 13 October 2009

Cinthia

Dinner before the Priesthood Session

Me and Elder Hogge

At the Baptism

Email Letter 13 October 2009

Hey Fam,

So I’m a day late on writing. I forgot to tell you last week that I would be writing today due to the zone conference we had in Formosa Capital yesterday. The conference was amazing. The drive wasn’t so amazing but it was worth it like always. President del Castillo talked about God the Father and Jesus Christ. He explained how Christ could also be called the father and used so many scriptures to explain why. It’s a question that most people bring up because they get confused and think that they are one and not two different people but he was amazing in explaining it to us and the spirit like always was so strong. He bore testimony at the end that he knows that President Monson knows Christ and knows him in a way that can’t be explained. That he knows him so personally because he is his head representative here on earth and that he holds all the keys for our salvation. It’s unexplainable how powerfully he testifies. I love this gospel!

So back to last week. We had service and I learned how to build a house out of bricks and cement. They don’t use wood here, all of the houses and built with bricks. It was a lot of fun to learn. My comp and I built a wall much, much taller than I am and they said at the end that we had done a pretty good job for our first time. I got all dirty and stuff but it was worth it.

It’s been really, really hot lately and I just don’t like it. It’s incredible how hot it’s been and it’s just going to get much, much worse. Being out here in the middle of a desert isn’t quite what I had in mind to finish my mission but it should be fun. We eat dirt all day because of all the loose dirt and wind that we always have. I asked one of the members what the normal temperature is in summer here and they told me that it’s around 40º C which is converted is around 104º F. How fun huh. They said that it gets up to around 50º C sometimes which could kill someone for sure. Ha-ha. It’s just something to look forward to.

This Sunday are our interviews with President and I’m looking forward to them. I’m going to ask him if I can open an area and train. I’ll let you know what he says next week. It’s been a good week. I love you guys and miss you lots. Take care and stop getting sick!!

Tay

Email Letter 05 October 2009

Hey Fam,

Well it’s been a good week. Last Monday we went and had a lesson at one of the Sisters houses with one of her neighbors and it was one of the most spiritual lessons of my mission. It was amazing and you can really tell when they are paying attention and when they can feel the spirit as well. I can’t really explain it because it’s just one of those things but we focused a lot on the Book of Mormon and I can only testify of my love for it. It might not be as convincing as Elder Holland’s testimony but I do love that book with all my heart.

On to much better news...we baptized three people on Saturday! They are an amazing family that should have been baptized a long time ago but because of their travels they never could. Well we got them in the water and they were so happy. They even asked me how long they have to wait to go through the temple (Another Navarro family!) ha-ha. The dad is from Corrientes so we would talk like the Correntinos do and it was so fun. I love them already.

Conference was amazing! At least what I saw of it. We got most of it but the power kept cutting out. (Welcome to the middle of nowhere Formosa, Argentina) ha-ha. I especially like Elder Ballard's talk in priesthood. He talked about the three most important things are for both fathers and sons. It was amazing and its things that I’m going to try to work on as much as I can for the rest of my life. It was funny to listen and to say to myself, but that’s exactly how my communication is with my dad. I think that that’s why I have always said that Dad and I are more like friends that father and son and I feel the same way with Mom and that’s why I’m doing what I’m doing today. Thanks mom and dad!

Not much else to report. It’s been a good week and I’m still working with Elder Hogge to see how we can work better together. I love you guys and I love this work. Don’t be Trunky!!

Tay

Email Letter 28 September 2009

Hey Fam,

So I’m in my new area, I got here last Thursday afternoon. The place is called ESTANISLADO DEL CAMPO and it’s in the middle of nowhere. We don’t even have a place with computers to write so we come every week to the zone leader’s area which is IBARRETA just a half hour away to write and have p-day. My zone is really small but it should be good. I’m district leader which I really didn’t want, I wanted to just be nice and without commitment for the rest of my mission but I guess it’s what the lord wants so that’s what I’m going to do.

My comp is Elder Hogge and he’s from Sacramento, California. I just don’t get blessed with the Latino elders I guess. He’s a good kid and he’s pretty new. He’s got 4 months in the mission and you can tell that he’s really new. It’s going to take a lot of patience on my part to keep things going. We shall see how it goes. I think that we will have a ton of success here though and I think that I should be training next transfer so that’s something to look forward to. Our branch varies from 45-70 people in church every week which is awesome and there are a lot of priesthood holders which is something I haven’t had in awhile. I’m going to be doing a lot of changing here though with the way things are run. They are just kind of sloppy and I had to be Mr. Bad guy yesterday to get things going right. It should be a fun task though for sure. I’m going to try to clean up the list of members like Elder Rapp and I did in Pasos and that’s going to keep me busy. We have four Baptismal dates for the next two weeks and that’s exciting and we have lots of other investigators that have lots of potential to make it to baptism as well. The people are a little bit lazier here so I’m going to have to kick them all in the butt to get them going but it will be good.

So over the weekend there was a Stake President here from Buenos Aires and we got to work with him a little bit. He was here on business and he was like another missionary. Every time we ran into him in the street he wanted to take us to another house of people that he was working with to teach them the gospel. He was so cool. He opened a lot of doors for us and he was just so excited to do the work and it gave me a big boost and got me really excited to get things going in CAMPO.

Well that’s about it for this week. I miss you guys and think about you often. Just four more short months and we will be talking about how amazing my mission was and how much I miss it but for now know that I’m doing well and that the work is progressing. Love you guys!!

Tay

Pictures 21 September 2009

Behold your littles ones...

Pictures 21 September 2009

Baptism Time

Pictures 21 September 2009

Little Karen - Clearly a Florida fan too.

Email Letter 21 September 2009

Hey Fam,

It’s been a pretty good week. We have had a lot of work to do which has helped me focus more on the fact that I’m still here more than that I’m going to be having to leave soon. We find out about transfers tomorrow and we are almost positive that I’m leaving. I think that it’s been a hard thing for everyone. President dos Santos our district president feels like he’s losing a secretary and our branch president feels the same way. I think that they feel a little bit lost. I’ve had to do a lot for them in the last week to get everything ready for when I leave. We have also been going around to all of the members to give them the chance to write in my journal and it’s been really fun to just spend some time and talk about the gospel with the members. We have also been working hard in trying to find people to teach as well so it’s just been crazy.

Yesterday we spoke in church because it was the third Sunday and that’s missionary Sunday. When they announced the order of the talks the first counselor said that I would be speaking last and that I would also take some time to say goodbye which didn’t help at all I might add.  My comp spoke about reactivation and I spoke about how amazing the Book of Mormon is and how we can use it better to help those that need it. In between the two talks my comp played Joseph Smiths first prayer and it helped me a lot to have the spirit with me while I spoke. My talk was going great and I was closing and bearing my testimony and I felt normal and when I say normal I mean I felt like I was going to make it through without crying…boy was I wrong. I made the mistake of looking up at one of the Sisters in the branch and I knew from the beginning that if I were to look at her or at the Navarro’s I would lose it and I still looked up at her and I just lost it. I think of these people as family. I’ve been here for so long that it’s too hard to say goodbye. I pray for a miracle that maybe the Lord will let me stay, that maybe there’s more for me to do here but I think that my time is up. It was a really good meeting none the less and I somehow made it through it. Today we are going to be going to see a few more families and then tomorrow we will have dinner with the dos Santos to finish my time here.

Not much else has happened. We have been working and waiting to see what will happen. I know that if I leave that the Lord has prepared someone for me in my new area. I love you guys and think about you often. Take care!

Tay

Football Video - 14 September 2009

TK Plays Football with the kids in Argentina

Football Pics - 14 September 2009

Email Letter 14 September 2009

Hey Fam,

It’s been a good week. We had our interviews on Wednesday and I just couldn’t ask Pres where I would go but I think he’s made it pretty clear that I’m leaving. Let me explain…

I called Elder Avalos (aka mi papi) and he had just gone to the mission office where President del Castillo has an office. In Presidents office there are pictures of all of the missionaries and where they are in the mission. Elder Avalos told me that President had already taken my picture out of my zone so I’m pretty sure that I’m done here. He said that he looked for me all over the board but President hadn’t put me back up anywhere so I still don’t know where I will be going.

It seems like things are going well at home though! I love hearing that the boys are doing well in their games and of course that Florida and BYU are still doing well as well. It’s sad that I’m not there to be a part of this time of year but I will send some pics of me showing the youth here how to play football. We went to the church this morning to play some soccer with them because they had the day off from school and I took my football. So after we all got sick of playing soccer I showed them how to throw the ball and we had a little game (no worries, my team won of course) I think that they liked it and it for sure was a lot of fun for me.

This week is going to be a week of visiting a lot of families to tell them goodbye. I think that this will be the hardest week of my mission because it will be like leaving home. These people are like my family and I’m sure that there will be some tears shed…BY THEM. Ha-ha.

Well I love you all! I’m glad to hear that all is well. Take care!

Tay

Ramdom Pics 07 September 2009

Email Letter 07 September 2009

Hey Fam,

It’s been a good week I guess. Last Wednesday we were walking home and it started raining. And when I say raining I mean pouring. We didn’t have jackets or umbrellas so we got soaked. It was a lot of fun until that night when we went to bed the other elders that we live with decided that it was hot so they turned on the fan and when I woke up…you guessed it SICK!! It’s just so wonderful. I have decided that I won’t be healthy until I’m back at home in the states. I thought for sure that it was pneumonia but I called the church doctor and he told me that I should be just fine and that he doesn’t think its pneumonia and that in a few days I'll be better. That would be ideal but I have to travel again tomorrow and the busses just kill me. We shall see how it all turns out I guess.

The work is moving along nicely. We are going to have a lot of changes in the branch this week because I finally talked our branch president into changing around some callings and I guess the lord agreed with me. We are going to have the Relief Society Presidency full which is a first I think for the northern part of Argentina and we will have a new Young Womens president and a first and second counselor for her too and two new counselors in the Primary. They are all great changes and I’m excited for it on Sunday. We have had so much help from the members here and it’s just been a good experience.

We have our interviews on Wednesday with President del Castillo and it will be interesting to hear what he will tell me. I’m going to try to get him to tell me where or if I’ll be going anywhere but I’m sure he’s not going to say a word. It sure would be nice to know though. That’s the thing about the mission though, always with the surprises.

Other than all of that things are good here. I love the work and time is just flying. I love you guys so much and miss you lots but it will be too soon before I see you all. Take care!

Tay

P.S. I’m calling it now…FLORIDA vs. BYU in the national championship. Ha-ha. We all know Florida will be there but I’m not convinced on the BYU part yet.

Email Letter 31 August 2009

Hey Fam,

Well not much has happened since just Thursday but on Sunday Sylvana was confirmed and we had a total of 63 people in church. It was the second most I’ve seen while I’ve been in the mission in a regular sacrament meeting.

We are doing well. It’s about time for me to leave here though or get a new comp. I think that things are just getting old and I’m not as patient as I used to be. I love this area and I get along with the people just fine but I think it’s just having to babysit the elders and my comp and it’s just getting to me.

We are going to have another baptism this Saturday which means the miracles continue here in Pasos. I wish that I could stay here forever and just trade comps every once in awhile. Ha-ha.

There’s not much else to report because it hasn’t been very long since I’ve written you. I’m glad to hear that all is going well and I’m happy that the boys are playing well as well. I love to hear the success that they are having. I love you guys and I miss ya. Take care!

Tay

Email Letter 27 August 2009

Hey Fam,

So it’s been a good week. Yesterday we traveled to Resistencia for our meetings with the other zone leaders. Once again we left at 1:30am yesterday morning from Pasos and got to Corrientes Capital at around 6:30am. We sat at the terminal and waited for some other elders and then when they got there we went to Wal-Mart and got donuts. Oh they were so good! Just like the states. Then we crossed the bridge into Resistencia and went to the mission office and had some lunch and from there we went to the mission home for the meetings that started at noon. We finished with the meetings and dinner at 7 and went back to the office for awhile and then crossed back over to Corrientes at around 9pm and went to the terminal to wait for our bus that left at 1am this morning. We pulled into the terminal here in Pasos at around 6 and went home and slept. I don’t mind traveling that much but I just can’t sleep on these busses. Some of them are really nice and some of them just aren’t.

I loved the meetings though. The best part is always President del Castillo’s doctrine. Yesterday he talked about how the Book of Mormon is really another testament of Jesus Christ. He used two chapters in Ether that have so much doctrine about Christ that you can’t find something that specific in any other Holy Writ. It was amazing and it was written 1200 years before Christ. He talked about all the things that happened during the translation and you can really tell that this book was a miracle that the Lord had just for our day.

On Sunday we had another baptism. Her name is Sylvana and she’s Debora’s (the little girl I baptized about a month ago) sister. It was a nice simple service and I’m glad that she finally decided to get baptized. We are going to try to have three more baptisms this Sunday but I’m not sure if we are going to pull it off because of all the traveling we’ve had to do. We shall see though.

We have had some obedience issues in the zone with some other Elders and it’s just so tiring. I guess I know what it’s like to be a parent now but with older kids that act like little kids. It’s tough sometimes. I’m sure it will all go away soon though and we will get it back together. It’s not anything serious just little dumb stuff so it will all be fine.

It’s starting to get hot again, I hate the heat!! It’s not too bad yet so I’m surviving but it’s still pretty warm outside.

Over all things are going pretty good. I didn’t get sick this time traveling which is a miracle! I love all of you and I hope that you’re all doing just as well as I am. Good luck boys in the game tomorrow and congrats on the big win. Hope you had a good birthday Quin!! Love you guys.

Tay

This means we're going home soon

This means that we are going home soon. They are called trunky papers. Can you see the plane?!!!

Me and Elder Smith

I love this kid!

At the Mission Office

Mission Leadership Pic

These are all the zone Readers and the APs alter the meetings yesterday. Im next to elder Avalos who was my trainer and leaves this transfer. 

Sylvana's Baptism

This is sylvana, shes deboras sister (the girl i baptized about a month ago) she decided to get baptized too. Now there is just one more of the family Left to go. She was baptized by our first counselor.

Email Letter 20 August 2009

Hey Fam,

so it’s been a really good week. We spoke on Sunday again and it went really well. My comp talked about how we all need to become converted and that we need to change and leave all the bad behind so that we can become more united and work together and then I spoke about how we are all prodigal children of our Heavenly Father and I talked about the things that we need to do to make our way back starting right now. It went well and I think we all learned a lot.

Then on Monday it was Elder Hunsaker's birthday which we celebrated traveling to do a baptismal interview. We actually did get back to Pasos at around 7 and went and had family night with the Dos Santos family. They made cake and it was a lot of fun. I love them.

Things went really well at Zone Conference. I learned a lot from President and Hna del Castillo and from Elder and Hna. Zivic. They are really amazing people and the spirit was really strong. Elder Zivic is a member of our area presidency and he’s a member of the Seventy. I had the chance to talk to him and his wife quite a bit because I conducted the meeting and sat right next to him. He would often turn to me and make comments or just talk to me about what he expected. It was really a once in a lifetime experience and I took it to the fullest.

Not much else is going on. This weekend we have our District conference and a Baptism. It’s going to be another full week this week and next. Again I won’t be able to write next Wednesday because we will be back in Resistencia for meetings so more than likely I will be writing again on Thursday. Not much else has happened this week.

It’s been really going well and I’m so happy to be here. So to resolve any worries and stuff about when I’m going to be home, I will be going home on my regular date. Not later and not earlier. Elder Zivic mentioned that we will no longer be allowed to extend to cut short our two years. If we want permission for that we have to get it from the First Presidency. It’s been something that I’ve been struggling with but I got my answer.

I love you guys and I’m glad that you’re all in good health. Take care.

Tay

Pictures August 12, 2009

At some statue

At Maria's Baptism















With Evita

Email Letter 12 August 2009

Hey Fam,

This week as been pretty relax. We found out last night that I will be staying here with Elder Hunsaker for at least one more transfer. I’m happy that I’m staying because I feel like there is a lot of work still to be done and a lot of people still to be baptized.

We had the Baptism of Maria on Saturday and it went really well. It was pretty funny too. I have to keep lying to people and tell them that the water is really hot and that they will love it but when they take that first step into the ice cold water I love the reaction. She stepped in and screamed and backed back out and said that she wasn’t going to get in. our branch president was the one doing the baptism so he helped her in and she got baptized. It was pretty funny though. I’m still trying to figure out how we can get the heater fixed to give us some hot water for the next one but I just don’t know what to do. Ha-ha.

Things are going really well here and all of the members are really excited to help us in the work. I can’t ever explain how wonderful they are. Especially our Relief Society President. She is awesome!

I have a funny story, the other day we were walking home and we got to the railroad tracks and the train was coming. It’s hard to understand this next part because this could never happen in the states but just hang with me. The people always pass through the railroad arms if the train isn’t quite there yet but at this point they weren’t even down and the train was getting closer and closer. (They have people put they arms down manually, it’s not automatic) so people were going through and there was this guy on his scooter that started to go through and decided that the train was too close so he stopped and as the railroad arms went down it hit him in the head. Ha-ha. Luckily he was wearing a helmet which is really rare here or he would have been knocked out. That’s my funny story for the week. If you didn’t laugh I don’t blame you because I’m sure it’s one of those things you have to be there for to really enjoy. It’s also not as funny as what happened to carter and mom. Good one guys!

Well I love you all. Hope all is well and I will be praying for Gramp.

Tay

Email Letter 05 August 2009

Hey Fam,

Things have been going really well. We are getting ready for our baptism this Saturday of a girl named Maria. She is 22 and a family friend of our first counselor in the branch. Then next week we have the baptism of that little girl Debora’s brother and sister. We have been working with them a lot and they have finally budged and want to get baptized. I can’t explain it, well I think I can. The Lord has been blessing us and our area. We are finding all the right people and we are having lots of success.

On Saturday we had our interviews with President del Castillo and I went in and we sat down and the first thing he said to me was “Elder King, President dos Santos just begged me to keep you here, what makes him think that you’re leaving?” our district President had asked him if I could stay at least one more transfer. I thought that it was really cool that he did that and it shows that maybe they like me just a little bit here in Pasos. I don’t think that I will be leaving because president del Castillo said well Elder I don’t have any plans for making changes here but the Lord is the one that says who stays and who goes. I think that everyone, including me is praying that I stay. I love this place and I don’t think that there are members like this anywhere else.

Not much else has gone on. We continue to see the miracles and I thank the Lord every day. I think that after Pres. Castillo talked about prayer my prayers have become more meaningful and I can feel the spirit much more and I know that’s why we are working so well right now.

It sounds like things are going really well at home and I’m sad that I’m going to have to miss another football season but I can’t complain because I know I’m supposed to be here. I love you all. Take care.

Tay

Email Letter 29 July 2009

Hey Fam,

It’s been a good week and we did baptize little Debora. Her mom was so happy that one of her kids finally decided to get baptized and now we are working on the other ones. The problem is that they are just shy so we will have to see.

On Sunday Hugo and Graciela Navarro received their callings. Hugo is our branch mission leader and Graciela is first counselor in the young women. They are very happy.

We are having lots of success and I thank the lord every day for the miracles that we are seeing. I really don’t want to get transferred and I think that I’m going to tell that to President Del Castillo this weekend when we have our interviews.

I love this place and we are going to have a lot of baptisms in August. President has set the goal of 96 Baptisms in August and told the zone leaders when we were in Resistencia a few weeks ago how he knows that we as a mission can do it and he knows because he has received personal revelation that its possible. When he said that I felt something strange and didn’t really think that we could do it. I prayed the other day and I know as well that it’s possible and we have a baptism planned for every weekend in august except for this Saturday. I know that the lord is blessing me and our area and I’m so excited.

Still working out the kinks with Elder Hunsaker and we are doing better but still have a long way to go.

We had a lesson with that young family that we found again the other night and it was awesome. They had both read and they had marked the book and had lots of questions. They seem so excited about listening and learning and we are praying lots for them. We invited them to pray and they said that they would because it seemed like something important for them to do. They are only 21 years old, the both of them but they understand really well. We are going to go by again tonight and see how they are doing. We already have members visiting them and Graciela Navarro is super happy to be able to help because of all the help they received from members while they were investigating. I have high hope for this family and I promise to send a picture of their little baby girl next week if they let me hold her. She’s always sleeping though so we will see.

Nothing else has happened in the last week so I will end for now. I love you guys and miss you like crazy but I know this is where I need to be. Take care!

Tay

Email Letter 22 July 2009

Hey Fam,

So no real big news this week. I’m feeling much better and I should be just fine within a few days.

So I told you about that young family that we found didn’t I? Well they are amazing! I’m very excited to keep teaching them. The other night we watched the restoration movie with them and they loved it. It was a good lesson. Their little baby is just so cute. She’s almost two weeks old too. Her name is Jennifer and she’s tiny! As we were walking out Alexander (the dad) said… “Wait! You didn’t mark anything for us to read.” I can’t say that I’ve had investigators say that to me very many times. They seem to be really excited to listen. They are both 21 so we get along with them really well.

Not much else has happened. Tomorrow we have a baptism of one of the kids of a new convert. Elder Rapp and I had been trying to get some of these kids baptized but they just wouldn’t budge and then the other day we went over there and I asked them again if they wanted to get baptized because it had been a long time since we’ve asked and one of them said YES! I want you to baptize me on my birthday. She turns 9 tomorrow and she wants me to baptize her. We are going to keep working on the other two but for now I’m happy that at least one of the three wants to.

We are being really blessed here and it’s amazing how things change. This area didn’t have a baptism for a year and then in January they had one and we’ve had 7 since and one more tomorrow. The members are going crazy and they love helping us. I can’t explain how much I love these people and how amazing they are. Things are just great!

Elder Hunsaker and I still have some things to work out but I’m sure at some point we will get it. It has to come or things won’t keep going like this.

On Sunday we spoke in Sacrament meeting and I came down hard on the members and myself really. I spoke on Pride and I took a lot of stuff from one of my favorite talks “Beware of Pride” by President Benson. I loved speaking and I think it went really well. I hope that we can all change to be better people. I think my next talk will be taken from Elder Holland’s talk “The other Prodigal” it’s also really good.

Its sounds like everything is going well at home and I love hearing about that.

Take care everyone! Love you all.

Tay

Email Letter 15 July 2009

Hey Fam,

Things have gone well this week other than I’m sick again. I just can’t seem to stay healthy.

So last week as you know we had our zone leader meetings in Resistencia and just as I was sitting down to eat breakfast with all of the other elders the zone leader from Reconquista (my last area) came up and said “elder king I have some bad news for you, Pico (my first baptism) died about three weeks ago. I’m sorry” I guess he died in his sleep. He was only 24 years old but had some health issues and it just got to him. I’m grateful that he accepted the gospel when he did though and now I don’t have to worry about whether or not I'll see him again.

On a lighter note, we had our zone conference yesterday and it was amazing as usual. President talked about prayer and it made me and I think everyone else realize that we have no idea how to pray. He said that he had and still has a lot to change about his prayers but that we can make them more meaningful and sincere as we study. I just love when he teaches.

As sick and horrible as I felt yesterday I built up the strength to just sit and listen and it helped me so much. It’s just reaffirming every time he talks that he really is called of God to be leading this mission right now.

Not much has been going on as of late but we did find this young family that we are teaching. They are really nice and they had a baby on Friday. It’s so cute and I’m excited to see them progress. This is a short one this week but not much is going on so just know that I love you. Take care.

Tay

Email Letter 08 July 2009

Hey Fam,

Well today we are in Corrientes Capital hanging out with lots of other elders and some Sisters as well. We all met up at the mall and had breakfast at McDonalds and then went and played soccer for 2 hours at this indoor soccer place with like 30-40 missionaries which was awesome. It was a lot of fun hanging out with lots of friends that I don’t see very often.

We have our meetings in Resistencia again tomorrow for zone leaders which is why we are here. I’m pretty excited for the meetings. Alter we played we went back to the mall for lunch and then we went bowling. It’s been a good day so far. It’s been at interesting week. Let’s just say that my new comp is not Elder Rapp…and leave it at that. He’s from Las Vegas and is the youngest of 10 kids. Overall he’s a nice guy but it’s going to take awhile for us to get along I think.

So on Sunday Hugo Navarro got ordained a Priest so they now have Priesthood in the house which they love and then that night we went over to set goals with the family because I’m trying to do that with all of the families in the Branch. It’s a new idea that I’m trying out and it’s working well. We started talking about the temple and how there is a temple trip planned for Friday and Saturday this week and I could tell that Solange the 16 year old was a little down so I asked her if she wanted to go, she looked up and me with a smile and said… “I can go?” and so we explained that she could go and do baptisms if she wanted so I left her with all the sections of doctrine and covenants that talk about it for her to read and told her that I would pay for her if she wanted to go. You guessed it; she had her interview last night and is so excited to go. I’m really excited that she’s going as well. I think that it will help her a lot and that she will get a much stronger testimony after having done the work for her ancestors. They leave on Friday night and come home Saturday night. I love that family!

Other than that things are pretty much normal. I have a huge testimony of fasting and to talking to everyone we see. It’s been so amazing what blessings the two together bring. I love this work. I miss you guys and pray for you often. Take care!

Tay

Email Letter 01 July 2009

Hey Fam,

We had our baptism on Saturday and it was amazing!

Let’s go back to Friday though. At 10:30am Graciela and Hugo got married and they had their parents that traveled to see it and a few other friends and lots of members for support. That night our Relief Society President and Solange got a surprise party ready as a reception. It went perfectly! Everyone cried at some point and we ate empanadas and pizza and cake and they all danced around and it was lots of fun. I think that it changed the way a lot of the family thinks about the church because our members are so amazing and are so loving.

Then on Saturday they got baptized. The water was so cold but it didn’t matter! The service was so spiritual. One of the other elders and I sang and the primary girls did as well. The spirit was so strong and we were all so happy. On Sunday they got confirmed and Graciela gave her first talk and didn’t really even use notes!!! I also talked about fathers and the role that they have in the family. All and all it was really an amazing experience. They are so amazing that I can’t explain it with words.

There are Preach my Gospel DVDs that the church has made and we gave those to them to watch because they want to be missionaries and want to know how to do it. They have given away many copies of the Book of Mormon with their testimonies inside and have taught people how to pray. I honestly can’t tell you how happy I am and how blessed we were to find them. It was a miracle and they lord did bless us.

So as you know I have a new comp because Elder Rapp’s two years are up. I’m staying here in Paso de los Libres and Zone Leader 1 or senior companion. My new comp is Elder Hunsaker and I don’t know him. I know that he goes home in 4 months which is 3 more transfers. I’m excited to meet him. Things are good and ill have lots more to tell you about my new comp next week. Love you guys!!

Tay

Email Letter 24 June 2009

Hey Fam,

Things are going well here. We are having our long awaited baptism this Saturday. It’s a miracle that its happening after all we had to go through to get her divorced. The law system in this country are not the best when you want to get things done fast. I don’t know how we did it but the lord heard our prayers and has blessed us so much. They passed their interviews last night and the Elder that interviewed them said that they know more about the gospel than he does. They study so much and they are just amazing people. Elder Rapp and I have been talking a lot about coming back next July to be at their sealing in the temple. I don’t know how realistic that will be for me but they are excited about getting there too which makes me want to try hard to make it back.

Next week are transfers and that means I will be getting a new comp. I’m sad about that because Elder Rapp and I work so well together. Everyone says that we compliment each other so well and that’s why we are having so much success. It’s been an awesome 4 ½ months with him and now I’ll just have to hope that I get someone just like him.

There isn’t a lot to report for this week. I missed church on Sunday because I was sick…YES AGAIN. I’m feeling better now though so it’s all good. I’m going to be speaking in church on Sunday and I’m going to be talking about fathers. I’m going to use the talk “Let us be Men” by Elder Christofferson of the twelve. It’s an awesome talk and since I missed being able to speak on father’s day because of sickness I feel that I should give the same talk because it’s going to help lots of people here and most of all its going to help me.

I love all of you and think about you as much as I can while staying busy. Take care and ill have some pictures of 6 people dressed in white for you next week.

Tay