Just me and my comp in the entire city! But it´s all good, we have BIKES!!!! I hadn´t ridden a bike in over 10 months! It sure is fun, and good exercise too! And the house I´m in is huge compared to the others I´ve been in! and there´s just the two of us, but we actually will be moving to a diffrent house this wednesday because the guy raised the rent, but I´m sure it will be a nice place too! In church the other day, we had a total of 11 people in church! It´s definitely a smaller membership here. In all of colonia it´s kind of like that, a little more difficult of an area, but I see lots of potential, we´ve already found some good investigators and in church the other day we had an investigator tell us that he wants to get baptised, so will be working with him and hopefully he can get baptised on Christmas, but he has to stop smoking first, we´ll see how it goes!
I can´t believe that those two are back home! And in my next change, I´ll already have a year! CRAZY!!!
I did get the camera card and I sent mine back today! I´m not sure what time we´ll be calling, but it may be easiest if I call you just so you can get the number on the machine and then you call me.... you would have to pay for it... but it would make it easier on my part, but I´ll talk with my comp and find out what time! It will be a P'day so we can pretty much call at whatever time!
The members are good here, but I am in Catholic country again... a little tough, I´ve seen a lot of nuns around actually, and the first building you can see from the freeway is a giant Catholic church, but.... we´ll do our best, we have the better help!
Anyhow, that about does it for now! Thanks for everything! Luv ya tons! Keep reading and praying!
Monday, December 20, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
leaving La Pedrera!
Well! I´m finally leaving La Pedrera! I´m going to Colonia! A city called Rosarrio! And I´m getting another Latin companion! Elder Samuesa! From Chile! So, I´m excited to go and everything, but again, it will be sad to leave all these people I´ve known for the last 4 months of my life! But that´s ok!
This last week we had a very powerful lesson with a mother of a member who has had missionaries visiting for about 30 years, but has never been able to stop smoking! We had the lesson with her daughter and son in law, I´ve been learning about the importance of the family this last change, just seeing how the Gospel blesses families and helps them grow. We talked to her a lot about that, and her daughter gave a powerful testimony, even started crying, about how her mom has changed and how it would be just really great to see her get baptised! Then I had a strong impression to share a testimony, talking about how I´m just now realizing how important the family is here on the mission and how I never really sincerely got to know my parents, they didn´t know a lot about the things going on in my life, we had the occassional talk here and there, but not like it should be, and I need to make some changes when I get home, then I realized that I have the eternities to get to know them..... but only If I can live worthy to be with them in the Celestial Kingdom, cause I already know my parents will be there... I´ve just got to keep myself clean and faithful so I can be there too.
It was an amazing lesson.
Anyhow, that´s about all I have time for! Can´t wait for the package! If you can send a camera card back, I can send you the one I have! These pics are with the Branch pres and his sons, with Sueli, one of our investigators and The zone of Rivera!
Anyhow, thanks for everything! Luv ya tons! Read and pray!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
29 Nov 2010
Sounds like a good Thanksgiving! I made my own little feast, made me some mashed potatos and tried the brown gravy! with some bread, apple soda, and some sausage that Macy Hammond sent me in a b-day package! (I also got some paper and envelopes from her so I don´t need those anymore, but I still need stamps.) It was a nice little feast! And a lot to be thankful for! We had a good week, finding some good people that we will be happy to work with, we finally got something heading towards Fabiana Gonsales´s divorce of her husband and marriage, she´s so ready for baptism, and Shannon is doing awesome, we just shared with them about Family home eveneing and they are excited to start it!
It´s been really hot a few days down here... got up to 35 degrees celsius! We were sweating quite a bit, but we still worked, hopefully I´ll loose a few pounds in this heat! Ya, I´m having fun trying to spend my money wisely here, I´m actually doing pretty good, I have quite a bit left over for this month!
I just finished 1 Chronicles! That part in Ether is really nice for lessons we share with those who are not sure about baptism, but they read and pray and go to church.... we tell them that the Lord led the Jaredites to the ocean, and they stayed there for 4 years thinking it was nice, and they forgot to call on the Lord, but all this time he had a promised land much better waiting for them, they could´t stay there, even though they felt comfortable, they needed to cross the water to get to something better!
Well I´m glad all is well with everyone, thanks for everything, be good! It´s almost Christmas time! Luv ya tons!
It´s been really hot a few days down here... got up to 35 degrees celsius! We were sweating quite a bit, but we still worked, hopefully I´ll loose a few pounds in this heat! Ya, I´m having fun trying to spend my money wisely here, I´m actually doing pretty good, I have quite a bit left over for this month!
I just finished 1 Chronicles! That part in Ether is really nice for lessons we share with those who are not sure about baptism, but they read and pray and go to church.... we tell them that the Lord led the Jaredites to the ocean, and they stayed there for 4 years thinking it was nice, and they forgot to call on the Lord, but all this time he had a promised land much better waiting for them, they could´t stay there, even though they felt comfortable, they needed to cross the water to get to something better!
Well I´m glad all is well with everyone, thanks for everything, be good! It´s almost Christmas time! Luv ya tons!
22 Nov 2010 Email
Oh did we have a baptism?! YOU BET! It was an awesome experience! From the beginning, I´ve been working with this family for about 4 months now since I got to Rivera, and just seeing the changes and the blessings that have come upon them, how they´ve grown and changed... it really has been a blessing for me, I´m so lucky to have a part in it.
Shannon Millela Quevedo Gonsales did receive her answer and was baptised Domingo 20 de Noviembre, 2010! and confirmed a member the following day! I was so lucky to have the honor of entering into the font with her and to watch first hand this young daughter of God be washed clean and enter into the fold and I also confirmed her and had another firsthand view as she became a member and recieved that most precious gift..the Holy Ghost. It was a large blessing for me, and it felt so good. Her family was there, and a few other members. Her Mom now has the strongest desires to get baptised, and as soon as she can get the divorce and marriage through, it will happen! I probably won´t be there, but it will happen!
It was actually pretty crazy preparing for the baptism, the water was still in the font from the last baptism! and the pump was broken so we couldn´t drain it, so Elder Tippets and I spent our day using buckets to empty the font! it took forever and we sweat a lot! But it was worth it every bit! we then took some cups and rags and fished out all the gunk and cleaned it, and then filled it! It was fun!
The sacrament meeting sunday was actually really cool, the couple that were baptised the week before were confirmed and Shannon as well, so we had 3 confirmations! It was neat! We also have 2 other investigators with a date! Sueli! an older lady who´s really forgetful, she´s already been to church 3 weeks in a row and loves it, we´re just taking things slow with her cause she doesn´t remember everything. And then Andrea! Who had visited with missionaries awhile back and then we visited her again, taught her the first lesson and left her with a Book of Mormon, she read and prayed, and she got an answer as well! She described it as a feeling of peace! She made it to the church yesterday and has a date in December! We are being rejected a lot! but we are being blessed! Definitely hunting!
Yeah, it´s warm her, we actually sleep with the fan on, so the mosquitos don´t attack us with it on, and I use my spray, so I´m actually good on the net!
I am remembering all the things I´m thankful for, oh there is so much! especially after the amazing experience we just had! I´m thankful for my family too and their support!
Luv ya tons!!!! Be good!
Shannon Millela Quevedo Gonsales did receive her answer and was baptised Domingo 20 de Noviembre, 2010! and confirmed a member the following day! I was so lucky to have the honor of entering into the font with her and to watch first hand this young daughter of God be washed clean and enter into the fold and I also confirmed her and had another firsthand view as she became a member and recieved that most precious gift..the Holy Ghost. It was a large blessing for me, and it felt so good. Her family was there, and a few other members. Her Mom now has the strongest desires to get baptised, and as soon as she can get the divorce and marriage through, it will happen! I probably won´t be there, but it will happen!
It was actually pretty crazy preparing for the baptism, the water was still in the font from the last baptism! and the pump was broken so we couldn´t drain it, so Elder Tippets and I spent our day using buckets to empty the font! it took forever and we sweat a lot! But it was worth it every bit! we then took some cups and rags and fished out all the gunk and cleaned it, and then filled it! It was fun!
The sacrament meeting sunday was actually really cool, the couple that were baptised the week before were confirmed and Shannon as well, so we had 3 confirmations! It was neat! We also have 2 other investigators with a date! Sueli! an older lady who´s really forgetful, she´s already been to church 3 weeks in a row and loves it, we´re just taking things slow with her cause she doesn´t remember everything. And then Andrea! Who had visited with missionaries awhile back and then we visited her again, taught her the first lesson and left her with a Book of Mormon, she read and prayed, and she got an answer as well! She described it as a feeling of peace! She made it to the church yesterday and has a date in December! We are being rejected a lot! but we are being blessed! Definitely hunting!
Yeah, it´s warm her, we actually sleep with the fan on, so the mosquitos don´t attack us with it on, and I use my spray, so I´m actually good on the net!
I am remembering all the things I´m thankful for, oh there is so much! especially after the amazing experience we just had! I´m thankful for my family too and their support!
Luv ya tons!!!! Be good!
Monday, November 15, 2010
15 Nov 2010 Email
This week did go by pretty fast, so fast I probably won´t remember everything.. But this week was a little harder for us, especially yesterday! I think we ran into every atheist that lives in our area yesterday, and everyone else who just doesn´t want anything to do with us, it was a pretty intense rejection day..... we did so many contacts and got no where... I was really actually getting frustrated and thought I might strangle the next person who gave us a hard time. Luckily we decided to finish the day visiting a member and doing a reference activity.... it turned out to be a really nice experience... I felt the Spirit and actually used her restroom to offer a quick personal prayer.... walking home I don´t know what happened, I just felt so happy and content, even though the day was quite the hard one... the Spirit can really give you that peace of mind and help you feel just good. It was another Alma moment, speaking of him, I wish I could just show the people my truth, but I sin in my wish, I should be grateful for the opportunities God gives me and just do my best and never get disanimated!
And on the bright side! Shannon Gonzales has decided to get baptised!!! This saturday we will be having her baptism, I´m so happy for her and her Mom, they´ve progressed so much and it´s been so great to see their faith grow. I love it! I also got to help put in someones floor and mix cement! It was pretty fun! It was on divisions too with Elder Vega! Well that´s enough about me!
Snow.... I miss the snow, it´s been really wierd weather here lately, hot as fire! and the next day rainy and windy! But it´s all good, I like the change.
Anyhow, there´s probably more things I could say, but the times up and I can´t remember is all anyways, thanks so much for writing and the support and love! Luv ya tons!!! Be good! Read and pray!
And on the bright side! Shannon Gonzales has decided to get baptised!!! This saturday we will be having her baptism, I´m so happy for her and her Mom, they´ve progressed so much and it´s been so great to see their faith grow. I love it! I also got to help put in someones floor and mix cement! It was pretty fun! It was on divisions too with Elder Vega! Well that´s enough about me!
Snow.... I miss the snow, it´s been really wierd weather here lately, hot as fire! and the next day rainy and windy! But it´s all good, I like the change.
Anyhow, there´s probably more things I could say, but the times up and I can´t remember is all anyways, thanks so much for writing and the support and love! Luv ya tons!!! Be good! Read and pray!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Email 8 Nov 2010
Well the Birthday was pretty good! I opened the socks early, cause I ran out.... and I opened the tootsies early....cause I could smell the root-beer! I made a cake of the twinkies and lit the candles the day before my actual B-day..... cause we were fasting the next day, then I opened the rest of the gifts on my B-day! And had a cake yesterday that Andres made for me! As for teaching and finding, we´ve applied a lot of what we learned in the training and even though we had only half the week to work, we worked hard and we had as many lessons and found as many people if not more, than we have had in a full week! We´ve felt the Spirit more and we had a few investigators in the church. Sadly the Moreira Family wasn´t in church yesterday. We had an interesting experience with them, after their first visit to the church we couldn´t have a lesson with them until Friday night becuase of the training and P-day and everything, we found out from Andres beforehand that they said they didn´t like it! Those words sunk like a rock......a very heavy rock..... in my stomache.... that has some very sharp edges so it cuts you when it goes down and even more when it comes out later...... and has a bad flavor!..... we were so nervous to go have our next lesson with them and we prayed so much and planned so much... we got over there and talked with them, and sure enough they explained how they didn´t like it and what was wrong with it and what not, but we were so prepped and listening so carefully to the Spirit that we were able to clear up their doubts and help them feel the Spirit, and in the end of the lesson (making a long story short) they told us that their feelings had all changed, they understood and it was a really nice lesson..... unfortunately they weren´t there yesterday and we have a lesson with them again tonight...... so we´ll see what´s up. Anyhow, It´s so important to be Spiritually intune,..... we don´t teach anyone, the Spirit does.... we just have to be worthy to hear it. I´m so grateful I´m not alone in this work.
Thanks abunch, again for the B-day stuff and for all that you do! Keep praying for the investigators! Specifically Sueli, Wilmar, Familia Moreira, and Familia Gonsales!
Luv ya tons! Chau por ahora!
Thanks abunch, again for the B-day stuff and for all that you do! Keep praying for the investigators! Specifically Sueli, Wilmar, Familia Moreira, and Familia Gonsales!
Luv ya tons! Chau por ahora!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
3 Nov 2010 Email
Well....I did celebrate what little I can for Halloween! I don´t have my cord with me today, because this week´s been a little different, but I´ll send you some photos next week! I loved all the costumes though, it made me proud! It´s one of my favorite hollidays! At first I thought Daniel was the scarecrow, then I saw Beatlejuice! (originally my idea) but he pulls it off real good! :) I loved all the other ones too, Coraline, Pocahontas, Brawny.......HA, and the Elf couple! and of course the blue princess! Where´s your costume Mom?! (nice job on the rats by the way).
I´m still trying to get through that old testament, I´m on 1 Samuel 11 right now, and D&C 89 I just read today! I wish the girls sitting next to me right now had read D&C 89, becuase they stink really badly with the smell of cigarettes! Congrats to Daniel on the Eagle!!!!!! WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! Was it brother Dangerfield? I really liked haveing them for the trek parents too, awesome! There´s an Elder in our zone that is from Pleasant Grove and was friends with a lot of my theater buddies from there, it is a small little world!
Well, my P-day was moved to today because the last 2 days we were in Montevideo again, but for a special training! It was really great, we did so much practicing though it was crazy for 12 hours strait the first day and a little less the next we had the training with our Pres. I really did enjoy it, it´s a series of new lessons to help missionaries become better teachers that they´re doing with all the missions right now! It focussed a lot on the compromises and how we need to be doing them more often and getting these people baptised. It was a great lesson! Oh, and we got the Moreira family in church this last week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Their story is pretty fun, we actually found them looking for someone named Ramiro, a reference, turned out a Ramiro lived in there house, but not the one we were looking for! But they let us in anyway and they just so happened to have found a copy of Legacy in the garbage earlier before, and they had been praying to find the right camino (path) in life and we showed up! Coincidence?....... I think NOT! God´s hand is in this work all the way, right there with us and if we are doing our best he puts those blessings in our way there is no doubt of that in my mind! This last week was really good, lots of lessons and new people, we are excited for this change!
Thanks for the update and the prayers, and the B-day package! I actually had to open one present because I needed the socks! But the rest are still wrapped till saturday!
Love ya all tons!!!! Chau!
I´m still trying to get through that old testament, I´m on 1 Samuel 11 right now, and D&C 89 I just read today! I wish the girls sitting next to me right now had read D&C 89, becuase they stink really badly with the smell of cigarettes! Congrats to Daniel on the Eagle!!!!!! WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! Was it brother Dangerfield? I really liked haveing them for the trek parents too, awesome! There´s an Elder in our zone that is from Pleasant Grove and was friends with a lot of my theater buddies from there, it is a small little world!
Well, my P-day was moved to today because the last 2 days we were in Montevideo again, but for a special training! It was really great, we did so much practicing though it was crazy for 12 hours strait the first day and a little less the next we had the training with our Pres. I really did enjoy it, it´s a series of new lessons to help missionaries become better teachers that they´re doing with all the missions right now! It focussed a lot on the compromises and how we need to be doing them more often and getting these people baptised. It was a great lesson! Oh, and we got the Moreira family in church this last week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Their story is pretty fun, we actually found them looking for someone named Ramiro, a reference, turned out a Ramiro lived in there house, but not the one we were looking for! But they let us in anyway and they just so happened to have found a copy of Legacy in the garbage earlier before, and they had been praying to find the right camino (path) in life and we showed up! Coincidence?....... I think NOT! God´s hand is in this work all the way, right there with us and if we are doing our best he puts those blessings in our way there is no doubt of that in my mind! This last week was really good, lots of lessons and new people, we are excited for this change!
Thanks for the update and the prayers, and the B-day package! I actually had to open one present because I needed the socks! But the rest are still wrapped till saturday!
Love ya all tons!!!! Chau!
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