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