Argentina ~week 69

So this week was a pretty busy week for several reasons, but it went great!

On Tuesday we had District Meeting, which I taught about the section on how to be a successful missionary in Preach My Gospel. Then we came back, had lunch, and went to contact some people. We found a less active named Martín, who think he has everything religion all figured out, and he told us that Jesus was really and alien and alot of other weird stuff. Then we went to English Classes.

On Wednesday in the morning we had interviews with the mission president. It went fast as usual, and it was good. Then we had to get on the bus to come home, carry bags with lots of pamphlets and other stuff we asked for, and a box of book of mormons so it was all really heavy. After that we had lunch with a member family, Ifrán, and went contacting until the ward family night.

Thursday in the morning we went to contact people. We had lunch at home, then we went to a few appointments we had set. The first one got cancelled, and the second one almost. But we got a new investigator, Eduardo, and his wife Karina is also and investigator. We started talking and he asked us if there really is a life after this life so we taught them the plan of salvation. Then we had dinner with a member, Ramiro.

Friday morning we had to go to La Plata and I did a baptismal interview for a 13 year old kid. It was a cool experience. That afternoon we were planning stuff for the white storm we will have next saturday. That's when all the missionaries in the zone or stake come to work in one area for a few hours. We had to update our maps, because they changed all the road numbers a while ago, and our maps have the old ones.

Saturday morning we finished doing that, and had mission correlation meeting. In the afternoon we had an appointment get cancelled, and we went to another area to update our maps. Then we had to go to La Plata again to do 3 more baptismal interviews, for 3 other kids ages 13, 11 and 9.

Sunday we had church. I had to give a talk about fasting, and the asked me to make is 5 minutes longer (15 in total) because someone didn't show up, It went good though. In the afternoon we brought a member to go with us to two appointments with new investigators, but they both cancelled on us.

Today we went to Walmart to see if they had anything cool. It was only like a 30 minutes busride.

Pictures: A lot of pensions have big area maps, but the mission doesn't make them anymore so we printed one, glued it together, and put it on styrofoam to put pins in it for our investigators, less actives, etc.

Me and Walmart, and I bought Peanut Butter, and Tabasco sauce :)

Anyways, that's it this week. We're really excited for next week with the White Storm (Tormenta Blanca) and everything. It'll be great!

Have a great week everybody!

-Elder Severtson

Argentina ~week 68

So this was a pretty good week. It rained all week and was super cold.

Anyways, Tuesday we had district meeting. We all took turns sharing about some of our investigators and their doubts and talking about how to help them. That took way longer than I thought so I didn't get to share what I had planned for after that. But that's alright. Then we had lunch in the pension went to some appointments that weren't home, but we contacted alot of people. We found a lady who talked with missionaries before, then they just disappeared. After that we had ward council.

On Wednesday we taught our investigador María. Her son got baptized a few years ago and recently left on a mission. She wants to go to church but can't because she work Sundays, Saturdays and holidays. Then we had lunch with a family, went to some appointments that got cancelled and taught a less active family. Then went to a family night in the church.

Thursday morning we just contacted more people to teach and then had lunch in the pension. We went to som appointments we had set up, but they weren't home, and then we had dinner with a guy in the ward.

On Friday we did weekly planning in the morning. After all that we went to a far away part in our area where it's mostly field, and it had been raining the past few days so it's all muddy. We taught Ruben, a new investigator, who was a referral from a member close by. We hope to visit him again this week and bring the member with us. We also found a lady that at first said she didn't have any interest, but then I told her about the Book of Mormon and Jesus in the Americas and she became more interested. It was just interesting to me because I thought about the importance of testifying, instead of just accepting that they aren't interested, or even worse, arguing. When we share part of the truth it helps people have more interest in the Gospel, and gives the Holy Ghost the oportunity to testify to them.

Saturday we cleaned the church in the morning, and then had correlation meeting. We walked around almost all day and got soaked. We were able to visit a less active family though.

Sunday we had church in the morning. Only 33 people came, because it rained alot. Then we had lunch with a member, and went out to work. It kept raining hard until the end of the day.

Today for 4th of July we had a Zone Activity and we all brought different foods. I brough Jello, haha. It was pretty fun.

Sorry, I don't have any pictures this week, I'll try better next week though.

Anyways, have a great week everyone!

-Elder Severtson

Argentina ~week 67

So this week was pretty busy as always the first week of a transfer, but it was great!

Tuesday was just a normal day. We went out and contacted several people, met some of the members and set appointments. My area is pretty big, so we have to take buses alot, but it's great! That night we had English classes in the church.

Wednesday we had district meeting in the morning. It was my first time eaching that, but we just introduced ourselves, we set weekly goals, and I asked them what they'd to do in our meetings and activities. Then we went out to work, met some less actives and one of our investigators whose son got baptized and went on a mission. She didn't get baptized yet because she says she doesn't feel comfortable in the church. That night we had family night in the church.

Thursday morning I had District Leader training in the morning and they told us our responsibilities. I have to call them every thursday and sunday, collect their reports, do baptism interviews, do exchanges with every elder, and prepare a class every week in district meeting. Then we taught a new investigator and had dinner with a member.

Friday morning we had an appointment with a crazy guy. He was gonna be a new investigator but I think he has severe ADHD haha. We had lunch with a member and went contacting then did weekly planning at night.

Saturday we spent a lot of time organizing the area book which was a disaster, and choosing people we will go visit from there (old investigators, etc.) and did some contacting.

Sunday we had church. Our ward is small, but pretty nice. We're planning an open chapel here in two weeks. We had a small correlation meeting and I shared my testimony in sacrament meeting. Then we went to look for some less actives and new investigators in the cold.

Today we had district activity. We went to the institute building, played pool, foosball, pingpong and a mexican elder taught us how to make tacos.

Here is a picture of our district.

Anyways it was a great week. I know that the Lord blesses us depending on our level of obedience. If we do our best, we will see fruits, maybe big, maybe small, and some we never expected no matter what. D&C 130:20

Have a great week everybody!

-Elder Severtson

Argentina ~week 66

So this week was pretty busy nothing too big or exciting. Also, I don't have very much time so I have to write quickly. This week we didn't have a lot of time to work because we've been planning an open chapel, but now I'm not going to be there.

Tuesday we had district meeting and in the afternoon we had several appointments that got cancelled.

Wednesday I was on exchanges all day with Elder Araneda, my district leader's companion.

Thursday we visited several people throughout the day. Including Felisa our convert from like 3 months ago.

Friday we had weekly planning and then lunch with Felisa. We did some contacting in the afternoon. That night they called us and told us our transfers, but only if we went or not, they didn't tell us where.

Saturday we had a white storm in Berazategui, the ward next door to ours so we were there almost all day. Then we had to come back in the afternoon to teach English Classes, and plan the open chapel we are going to have.

Sunday was a great day at church. Felisa came, and I was able to take some pictures with a few people. We had lunch with the Silva family then in the afternoon I packed.

This morning I went to transfer meeting. My new companion is Elder Drake from Texas, he has 2 transfers in the mission, and I'm in a new area in a new zone - Villa Elisa in La Plata. It's pretty close by my other wards, in fact it borders my first two. It's a small ward, only about 40 actives according to my companion, and we share the ward with two sister missionaries, so anyways we'll probably be cooking in the pension alot.

Also now I'm a district leader in charge of 11 other missionaries. Some of them I know from before, so that's pretty cool. I'm grateful for the new responsibilities.

Anyways, I'm like out of time, so I'll let you know more next week.

Here are some picture of me with Felisa, me with my old companion, and our new pension. Also I'll send another email with a few more pictures.

Have a great week everyone!

-Elder Severtson

Argentina ~week 65

So this week was pretty cool. We were able to help alot of people.

Tuesday morning we had district meeting as usual. After we had lunch and taught our convert Leandro's sister, Ruth. Also another one of their friends was there and we taught her too. Ruth wants to get baptized after seeing how it helped Leandro. The only problem is that she has a problem with smoking that we are trying to help her with.

Wednesday we had several appointments that ended up getting cancelled. But we were able to contact several people who may become future investigators.

Thursday we were contacting in most of our free time. We taught Ruth again. We are beginning we the commandments now, because she understands very well the principles of the Gospel. That night we had executive committee. One of the other elders got into an argument with the first counselor because they are always really negative, and never do anything to help us. There have been lots of problems with this ward, and I worry alot about our convert Felisa because nobody in the ward has gone to visit her. Also the ward leaders always make excuses not to do stuff. Anyways I try not to argue or be negative back with them. It's just frustrating sometimes, It's hard to know how to help them.

Friday morning we had planned to do divisions with a recently reactivated kid, Facundo, and also Royer. Facundo is preparing to go on a mission and we want to help him alot and also Royer who was less active a few months ago. Unfortunately they both slept in, so we couldn't do the divisions. Latert that day we did visit Felisa because she hadn't gone to church for like 2 months already. We are worried about her because we though she was really prepared for baptism. But luckily she always wants to go, and is always praying and reading, it's just problems with her family that stops her from going. That night we did weekly planning.

Saturday we had a tormenta blanca (white storm) in my old area, Hudson. It was cool to be able to go there, and see some of the members. After that we practice for a choir we did in the other ward's sacrament meeting because we share a building with them. Then we taught English classes that night.

Sunday at church was cool because we got a less active family to show up. They also called a new ward mission leader who is very excited. Felisa didn't come, but leandro did again, and he brought his down syndrome brother. Also Facundo's mom came, who isn't a member, and we had taught her a few times.

Anyways that's it for this week. It was great to be able to help many people. Next Monday is transfers and I'm pretty sure I'm leaving. I think I'm ready for that though, I've been here a long time.

Here's some pictures: It's really cold here, me in my old area, and me with my companion on the bus.

Have a great week everyone!

-Elder Severtson

Argentina ~week 64

So this week was pretty great. We were able to work hard and receive many blessings.

On Tuesday after the district meeting we had lunch with the Silva family. Then the rest of our appointments were cancelled but we were able to contact some new people to teach.

On Wednesday we had 3 appointments set up. First we were going to teach Olga and answer her question about what happened to her son that committed suicide, because one church told her he went to hell. We were all planned to answer that, but she wasn't home. Then, after lunch we got a new investigator named María, and taught her the restoration. One funny thing that happened was as soon as she grabbed her bible, the power went out. Also, at the end of the lesson we taught her how to pray and her grandson was copying her and she told him to stop but he just copied that too. Then we went to the Ledesma family that we found last week.They asked us the same question that Olga had for us before so we were able to answer easily. They told us that the Jehova's witnesses couldn't answer us, haha. They didn't accept a baptismal invitation, but will keep learning from the Book of Mormon. Then we had mission correlation.

Thursday morning we had a service project, mixing cement to cover a roof. After lunch we taught Facundo, one of the young men that went inactive. He actually called us to visit him, after he had been avoiding us for awhile, and we helped him and he came to church sunday. That night executive committee was cancelled again.

Friday we did weekly planning in the morning. After we got a new investigator, Ruth, Leandro's sister. Before she wasn't interested, until she saw the changes Leandro made. She accepted a baptismal invitation too.

Saturday my companion was sick all day.

Sunday at church none of our investigators showed up. Leandro came, and also one of the Silva family's friends, belen, who later that day became an investigator.

This morning we played soccer at the church then came here to write.

Here's a panorama of our pension, and a picture of our district.

Have a great week everyone!

-Elder Severtson

Argentina ~week 63

This week was a pretty good week. It rained alot and got super cold so there weren't alot of people walking around to talk to.

So on Tuesday we had zone meeting. We talked alot about Jesus Christ and how he helps us overcome our weaknesses. Then we had lunch with the Kiss Family. After that we had an appointment with and new investigator, but she wasn't home, so we just went contacting the rest of the day.

Wednesday morning we visited Felisa, then had lunch with the Alvarez family. After that we gave a blessing to a lady who was sick and contacted a few referrals. We got new investigators, the Ledesma family. And then our missionary correlation was cancelled because of the holiday.

Thursday we were setting appointments with people and contacting all day, then we taught olga.

Friday we did weekly planning. Then we went to another appoingment but it got cancelled. After lunch we went contacting all day again.

Saturday we had lunch with the Jerez family. They are a really funny old couple. The husdband says a prayer every time before he takes a pill, haha. Then there was smoke outside and the lady called the fire station but it was just someone burning their trash because that's what they do here. It was pretty funny. That night there was a baptism in the other ward we shard a building with.

Sunday we had church. There were only 45 people because of the rain, but our convert Leandro went. Then we had lunch and went to an appointment with a new investigator, but it got cancelled. We just did contacting the rest of the day.

Any ways, it was a pretty good week. Very cold, but we're doing good. We're excited because we already have several appointments for this week to get new investigators.