Email Letter - 29 April 2009

Hey Fam,

It’s been a pretty good week I guess it’s been pretty uneventful though. We did have another sweet lesson the other day with the Navarro’s. We went to teach them about the plan of salvation and it was amazing. We went with our branch president and his wife and quickly the conversation had turned into temple sealing. What happened is we had given the Gospel Principles book to study with because that’s the class that all investigators get and they had been reading about eternal families that morning and are already talking about being sealed in a year! They are so awesome and they are going to make it there and they will be so happy. It was also cool that we went with the branch president and his wife because they testified about their temple experience and the spirit filled the room again. I want to be at that house everyday!

Also we were on divisions and I was working with Elder Dueñas in my area and we were walking by the park and I saw a young family so I told him that be basically had to run to get to them before they crossed the street so we booked to them and did and awesome contact, it turns out that the guys brother was baptized about a month ago in the other branch. I feel like it was my job to have found this family because I was in the lesson that made the other guy stop smoking and get baptized. I actually took his cigarettes away and he promised me never to smoke again and he hasn’t! We went and taught them two days after we made the contact and they are so awesome! They are both 20 years old and have a little boy named Santiago (James in English) and they are exactly what we have been looking for. We are excited to see them progress and we will see how it goes.

On Sunday I spoke in church and I decided to speak about the atonement and the last week of Christ’s life. It was very powerful to be able to speak about our Savior and what he did and the example he was for us. I spoke mostly about the whole last week of his life and how big of an example he was by going to the temple three times in four days. I encouraged everyone to follow his example if at all possible and it was really cool.

Other than that nothing has been any different.

We have our interviews with President Del Castillo next Monday which I always look forward to and I will be sure to let you know how those go. I love you all and I’m glad to hear that everything is going well. Take care.

Tay

Email Letter - 22 April 2009

Hey Fam,

It’s been an awesome week! Yesterday was Zone Conference which means I had to travel again to Corrientes Capital which was horrible and my back kills but it was so worth it. When President talks to us it’s so amazing. He spoke yesterday about the last week of Christ’s life. He explained with such detail and reverence that the room just filled with the spirit. To finish he bore testimony about the atonement and how in the pre-earthly council we raised our hands in favor to have the only begotten of the father be our Savior and our king. He spoke about how we sustained him then and we are now in his work sustaining his prophet. I can’t explain with words just how amazing it was but we could tell that he has a much better understanding of what Christ went through than we do. It made me think about how much more I need to study so that I can understand as well. I think that the doctrine that he teaches and the way he understands things are just like the Apostles. He speaks with such love and authority it’s amazing.

We have been working hard to keep things going here in the Branch and with our Investigators and we have had lots of success. We Put a Baptismal date with the Navarro’s and they accepted but then they said that it was too far away and that they wanted to moved it up a week so we have a date in the middle of May. They wanted us to be able to call home and tell our families first thing that we had baptized and awesome family. Ha-ha. They are so cool.

Other than them we aren’t really teaching anyone that’s looking very promising but we are praying to find more people that are ready to learn and progress and we are also praying that the ones we have will soften their hearts and move along in the gospel.

Other than that not much has been going on. Just same old same old. I love you all very much. Take care!!

Tay

Email Letter - 16 April 2009

Hey Fam,

So this is a day late but its better late than never. Things are going well here. I’m actually in Resistencia today because we came for our zone leader meetings with President Castillo. They were awesome! He spoke to us about keeping our thoughts clean. He also talked to us about the work that we are doing. He showed us that the lord forgets our sins if we stay focused and work our very hardest to build his kingdom. He speaks with such power it’s awesome! We had to travel all night to get here but President always makes it worth it.

The Navarro family has been progressing like crazy and they told us that they have their answer and are ready to get baptized. We have to work through a divorce first but there are some pretty good friends of the district president that are lawyers and are moving quickly to get it done. It’s not like the states so most divorces take about a year here but they said that they can get it done in a month for us and make it cheaper as well. It’s amazing how the Lord blesses those that are making the right choices.

We have been working hard and we can see the Lord's hand in his work! Other than that there’s nothing really big that has happened. Elder Rapp and I are excited to keep working together and we are having lots of success. I love you guys and hope all is well! Take care!

Tay

Email Letter - 08 April 2008

Hey Fam,

So how great was conference!! We actually missed the first session here because there was a huge storm that knocked over power lines and trees about an hour before the session started and there wasn’t any power. We were fortunate enough to get it back in time to watch the other sessions though. It was a great conference and I learned a lot.

The family that is investigating went to all of the sessions and they loved it. They quizzed us after to see if we were paying attention. How sweet is that! We went over and taught them again on Monday and when the mom finished the lesson with the prayer she asked a special blessing for president Monson. Ha-ha. I’m so excited about them.

Like I said on Friday President Castillo came for our interviews and he gave a lesson about the book of Mormon to the members and investigators. I can’t tell you how amazing it was to hear about all of the things that happened so that we can have that book today. It was a miracle how it all came together. The lord must have known just how much we need that book.

Other than conference and that lesson from President Castillo not much has happened. It’s been super hot but I still love it here. Things are great.

Today is transfers but I’m going to be staying with Elder Rapp which I’m also very happy about. I feel like we work really well together so it should be good. Sorry this one is so short this week but I can only bear testimony of how true this work is and how blessed we are to have a living prophet of god to lead and guide us today. There is nothing better in life than to be blessed by this gospel and have a family that has accepted it so that I can bless others with it as well. I love you guys.

Take care!!

Tay

Email Letter - 01 April 2009

Hey Fam,

Things are going very well here. We have been working a lot with members and we’ve been having success. So I have to tell you about what happened on Sunday. We found an awesome family last week which was an answer to our prayers. We have been fasting and praying to find a family to be baptized this month and I think we’ve got them.

So here’s what went down on Sunday. Well it actually goes all the way back to last Tuesday when we taught the family for the first time. It was a good lesson and then they went to our English class on Wednesday then we had another awesome lesson with them on Friday and then on Saturday the mom and the two girls went to the Transmission for the young women and loved it!! The whole family went to church on Sunday as well. They showed up and were very welcomed by everyone.

In our Branch we have the District President and his family and they are just perfect! They are helping us so much with befriending the family. Sister Dos Santos which is the District Presidents wife spoke about talents and I have to admit it’s probably the best talk I’ve ever heard a woman give. I’m sorry but it’s the truth.

After the meeting ended she went straight to the family along with like 5 other members to talk to them and then she looked at me and said “Elder are we going to teach Gospel Principles?” she said that in English by the way so that no one knew what she was asking and I said “we don’t have a teacher” she looked at me and said “Elder I want to teach them about eternal families so I will teach it” it was an awesome class and at the end she bore her testimony and the spirit filled the room. It was so amazing how powerful it was. After the class they stayed and asked her a few more questions and she was just another missionary.

I wish that you all could have been there. I can’t explain it with words. She’s probably my favorite member here in Argentina.

We went to teach them last night and they loved it all and are ready for conference. We also have President Castillo coming this Friday to give a missionary lesson for all members and investigators which is going to be awesome and they said that they are going to go to that also. If all of that wasn’t enough President Dos Santos and his family are going to have a family night with this family tomorrow and talk about prophets. I have so much faith that this is all going to work out and I’m counting my many blessings.

On another note we had divisions with some other Elders in our zone on Monday and I worked with Elder Avalos (my trainer) which was really fun and yesterday we had a district meeting where Elder Rapp and I talked about Unity. We have high hopes for our zone and I’m so happy to be here. That’s all for this week. I love you guys. Take care!!

Tay