Date
June 3, 2014
Area
Quitilipi
Companion
Elder Gates
LIVIN’ THE DREAM
LIVIN’ THE DREAM
June 3, 2014
Hey Mamá!
How are you? How was your week? I really hope it has been going well, I have been really praying for you hard! I love hearing about your experience in the temple!!!! I had a dream about me being a temple worker the other night. I really want to work in the temple someday...I just miss it. I really feel the same, I feel (and you have already seen) that you and I will be strengthened from your service and blessing to work in the House of the Lord. I just feel so good hearing about that! I can’t wait for the day that you and I can go to the temple together again!
Well mom, I love it here. Tonight we get transfer calls, and I am anxious to see what is going to happen. These past two weeks have probably been some of the best weeks of the mission! I have just been feeling really good about the work and about what I am doing. Elder Gates is such a great guy and I have really enjoyed working with him. I am actually really hoping that he stays tomorrow. Also, I have just felt that I am making progress. Making progress with the language, the culture, my teaching skills, and my understanding of the gospel. I know that I still have a LOT to learn, but at least I feel that there is progression. I think that is one of the best feelings ever!.
This week Elder Gates had to do splits again to go work with Elder Cn. in Saenz Peña, so Elder Cn’s companion, Elder R., came with me in our area...And we didnt even get lost once! (I was so proud of myself!). Anyway it was super funny because Elder R. is brand new in the mission - he has about 1 month here. He is so green!...but he is great. It was fun. He is still learning the language so he hardly speaks, but the thing is, is that he Hates Argentina! The language, the food, the siesta, the filth, etc....haha...(I think he is still going through the culture shock)....Anyways it was really fun, and I felt like I was able to learn a lot as I helped him!
I really love this area. I love Quitilipi. So, I guess the story is that missionaries were here about 10 years ago, but the mission president took them out to see if the church would be able to last...Well, it really didn’t. There is only one lady that is still active that was here before...Mostly everyone else fell away, joined other churches, or are afraid that the church is going to disappear again. So missionaries haven’t been here for like 9 years (missionaries came back here about 8 months ago, and actually, it’s kind of cool because most people still don’t know what we do so we get a lot of teaching opportunities. In Reconquista it was a lot different. Missionaries had been there for a long time and EVERYONE saw them all the time and already knew what they did, so all the time they would just close the door and say they didn’t want to change their religion. So it was often hard to teach people and have lessons. But here, we have a lot more lessons, sometimes it’s been hard to make time to visit everyone. It’s great!
This week we found a lady named Estela when I did divisiones with Elder Reynolds. She was super cool. She accepted the baptismal invitation and date so easily, it kind of surprised me. We have also taught her about the Book of Mormon and she has already read a bit and prayed. She told us that each time she has prayed about this, she feels better after. After the first lesson she told me, "This is good. We (talking about her family) need this right now." So cool! We are really excited to work with her!
We are also working with a guy named Juan. He is really cool. He is always very willing to listen and to pray and read. He knows that what we teach him is true.
I am really excited for both of these people. The only issue (that they both have in common) is that they need to get married! This is one of the greatest problems here in Argentina! No one here gets married. They just live "juntados" and have a bunch of kids. It’s kind of sad and it’s hard, because a lot of people don’t realize the importance of commitment and fidelity. I am so grateful for the gospel's teaching of the importance and sacred nature of marriage and of the family.
Another thing that I have become extremely grateful for these past two weeks is my ability to read. Here in Argentina, and ESPECIALLY here in Quitilpi, the literacy is EXTREMELY low. Probably half of the people I have met here don’t know how to read. It actually makes it hard to teach. Without this ability they can’t read the pamphlets, our notes, the address of the church, OR THE BOOK OF MORMON. Never before have I realized that THIS is why the prophets and apostles have always put such great emphasis on education. I am soooooooooo grateful that I know how to read, write, and that I have been given the enormous blessing of education in my life. So so so grateful.
Well Mom. I love you so much! I want you to know that I am loving what I am doing. Numerous times I have talked with my companion about what we are doing, and how we just can't imagine doing anything else with our lives right now. My mission has meant so much to me. My eyes have been opened. I have seen the evidences of God, of His love, and of his existence. I have seen changes made in people and the power of the atonement work wonders. I have truly seen miracles. I love this gospel with all my heart and I am so incredibly grateful for what I am doing. I know that this is His church, that this is His work, and that I am a representative of Him, my Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. I know that he lives, that He loves us, and that He truly is the way. No thing, nor any person, could possibly convince me to believe otherwise.
Te Amo muchisimo mamá. Oro por ti cada manaña, cada noche, y a lo largo de mi día. Siempre le pido a mi Padre Celestial que le cuide a mi mamá. Espero que tu puedas sentir el amor y el presencia del Salvador en cada momento. No podría expresar mi gratitud por tener una mamá como la mía. Te amo.
(Translation: I love you so much Mom. I pray for you every morning, every night and throughout the day. I always ask my Heavenly Father to watch over & take care of my Mom. I hope you can feel the love and presence of the Savior in every moment. I can't express my gratitude for having a Mom like you. I love you. )
Elder Christiansen