Argentina~week18

Hola todos!

This week was great. We got a few new investigators that seem great so far. One of them kept asking us like perfect questions that missionaries want, like 'are there living profets today?' or 'How do I know which church is correct?', so we'll see how well it goes with them.

On Wednesday the mission paid for all missionaries to get new blankets because it's been really cold. Since that day it randomly got hot again and we can't use them because it's too hot, haha. But recently it's been raining a lot, so it'll probably cool down again.

Friday night we had the baptismal interview of two of our investigators. They both passed and I'll be baptizing them on the 4th of July!

Sunday only 21 people went to the church in our ward because it was raining so much. Normally we have like 80 or 90.

This morning we had transfers. Now I'm with Elder Pazmiño and Elder Racchumi in a trio. Because the mission is splitting this week, we will be in the East Mission. I think we are in a trio because missionaries went home today, but no new ones came because the East mission has transfers another day. We will have transfers in two weeks again.

2 of these pictures are of a part of our area really far that we can't go to very often. The other is from church on sunday when it rained a ton. I have other pictures I will sent in another email.

Have a great week everyone!

-Elder Severtson

Here are my new companions, Elder Pazmiño from Ecuador, who is from the other area of our ward, but we're in a trio for 2 weeks until next transfer. I think he is going to train when new elders arrive. And Elder Racchumi from Peru. They both have about a year in the mission.

Here is a picture of the Bayona family, who are less active, but are coming back to church and hopefully he'll be able to baptize his son.

Here is a picture of our investigators I'll be baptizing on Saturday!

Argentina~week 17

Another great and successful week this week. We have some investigators really close to baptism. It's getting really cold here, but I hear it doesn't get too much colder. Besides, we're getting new blankets this week.

This week we got several new investigators. They seem to have potential, but it'll be interesting teaching them because some of them don't know how to read.

We have 2 investigators getting interviewed for baptism this saturday. They seems really prepared for the gospel, and are always willing to keep commitments. It's really cool to see how readily they accept what we teach. It's funny because they always ask us things like 'can we come to church with you?' or 'we know someone who is interested in what you are teaching, can you teach them too?' when we are planning on asking them the same things, haha

Also a family where the parents got baptized 10 years ago, went one more week to church and haven't gone since. They moved since then and we found them through a reference and thought they weren't members at first. They are really interested to become active again and went this week. They want their 10 year old to get baptized, so we are teaching them all the lessons, and hopefully they can reactivate and baptize their son.

Pictures this week: I learned how to make homemade gummy bears, and a random picture from my companion after we had to shower at a member's house when we didn't have water.

Anyways, I think that's all this week. Have a great week everyone!

Hola! It was a good week!

Unfortunately me and my companion couldn't go to the fair, Thursday the mission office called and said we had to go do something for my visa. Every missionary has to go twice at the beginning of the mission, and then again after a year to renew the visa or something. We still got some new people that are interested because the other elders went.

It is getting pretty cold here, people say it's been colder than normal, which is good, because it shouldn't get too much colder then. Luckily I have enough stuff to stay warm.

The water is all fixed. We still don't know what happened, it just came back.

If I get transferred, it will just depend on which area I'm in. Almost half of our mission is going to the East mission, so I don't know.

Argentina~week 16

We had another great and successful week this week, except without water most of the time. The water pump in our pension isn't working, but they're working on fixing it. We had to shower at night every day, and 2 times we had to shower at a member's house. Nevertheless, this week was great, haha

This week was very busy with all the investigators we have. We didn't find very many new ones this week, but we've been busy with the ones we have.

We have several investigators that seem like they´ll reach baptism. Unfortunately, if I leave this transfer I'll miss the baptisms.

We also got a new Ward Mission Leader since our other one was less active. We met with him a few times, and hopefully we'll be able to be more organized with help from members and things like that. Also this week we are going to go to the fair again, and hopefully have more help from members this time.

I have a picture of our zone after the activity last week, and a picture of the asado we had with the people that help fix the pensions.

Anyways, I'm looking forward to another great week this week. Have a great week everyone!

-Elder Severtson

Yup, we had water when we got back, but this week was horrible with water, I'll talk more about it in the big letter this week.

This week was super cold, but I have enough stuff to keep warm, but hopefully it doesn't get too much cooler. I have a sleeping bag from the mission, and I think it'll be enough because we have heaters and stuff too. If not, I'll just buy a big blanket in the fair or something. We're going to have a stand in the fair again this friday, and hopefully have some members to help this time.

Sounds like you're all having fun too!

-Elder Severtson

Argentina~ week 15

We've had another busy week, this week but it was great!

Last Monday, after PDay we went to the house of a couple. The wife is really active and teaches the gospel principles class. The husband was really inactive, and missionaries have been working with him for a long time. He told us that last week he had a dream like 3 times, of the picture of Jesus on in the clouds with all the angels, and he heard a voice asking him why he left the path and that he knows what path is right and that he needs to come back. He came to church the last two weeks and looks like he's becoming active in the church again.

Tuesday we had district reunion, and afterwards we had exchanges, and I was in another area until Wednesday.

Wednesday we had a few lessons with some of our investigators after I came back from exchanges.

Thursday we were contacting some of the references we got from working in the fair. We taught some of our investigators and less actives. We also spent an hour looking for a person we contacted on the street, who gave us their direction. After being unable to find their house, we began walking back, and as we were almost in front of their house, he rode by on his bike and invited us in. He told us he was just getting back from work. Now they are new investigators.

Friday we had exchanges again, but I stayed in the area. We had lots of stuff planned, but almost everything fell through.Saturday morning we had 2 services planned, and both fell through, and our lunch too. It seems like crazy things always happen on the days we have exchanges. At night we had a lesson with some investigators we had for only 2 weeks but they are progressing alot. Its a mother and a daughter who is married, but the spouse isn't living with them. We have recent converts really close by with almost the same ages and situations who always come with us when we teach. They always read the things we leave for them. They asked us if they can come to our church, so we didn't even have to invite them. They came the whole time and said they loved it. They participated alot in the classes at church too. There is a good chance they'll end up getting baptized.

Today we had zone activity. We went to the church of our zone leaders, and played soccer. We also played a game with a ton of flour which I have some pictures of. 

I hope we have water in our pension when we get home so I can clean all this flour out of my hair. Recently we've had like one day each week where we didn't have water. This morning we didn't have water either but it's all good. 

Anyways, I know that all the challenges of missionary work always have greater rewards afterwards. That's why it's always important to do our best and serve with all our heart, might, mind, and strength. I know that there isn't a challenge that we can't overcome and be blessed.

Anyways, have a great week everyone!

-Elder Severtson

Argentina~ Week 14

Another great week this week as usual!

I'm noticing I'm being able to talk a lot better than before. It's weird how we don't see the progress we're making until we look back randomly one day and realize how much we've changed.

On Tuesday we had zone conference. We talked a lot about Recognizing and Relying on the spirit. I felt sick in the morning but we still went. But when we got home I had bad headaches and was throwing up the rest of the day and Wednesday. I think I had a fever or the flu. But by Thursday I was all better.

Thursday we taught one of our investigators. She keeps telling us she is already baptized, and doesn't want to join our church, just wants to learn. I hope we can help her understand about the priesthood and authority to baptize, we will focus on that next time.

Friday we went to the fair and set up a booth to give out pamphlets and Book of Mormons (see picture attached). It actually was a really good way to find people who are interested, and we talked to lots of people who are less active and want us to come teach them.

Friday night we got new investigators. We talked to them in the street a few days back, and they gave us their address and said they are in a hurry. We talked to them and found out they have have been living together a few years and have 2 young kids, but a few months ago they decided to get married which is really rare here. Normally it's really hard to help investigators get married, but they said they just felt like they should. Hopefully it keeps going well with them. This experience just reminds me that there are really people prepared to receive the gospel.

Saturday was busy because we had study, then service and lunch, then my companion had to interview someone for baptism, then we only had time to teach one of our new investigators. It's a mom living with only her daughter since she separated from her spouse. It's cool because there is a recent convert family with like exactly the same situation really close that we introduced to them and had them come visit with us.

Sunday we had church, lunch, weekly planning (we moved it from Friday to Sunday to go to the fair) and had time to teach one investigator that night.

Anyways, this week was really successful after enduring through being sick. Always remember that after hard times, things go really good afterwards.

Have a great week everyone!